The Lives We Live
by Bitway
Summary: Soccer brings us together, pulls us apart, opens up our world, and even destroys it. It let us experience things we would have never thought possible. Amazing how one sport brings us together, huh? {a collection of one shots/drabbles}
1. Wake Up

a/n: here it is my second collection~ this one won't be limited to character/character stuff. I'm thinking of doing some reader inserts to. And really just whatever I feel like dumping into this collection. Uhh you can request stuff if you like and I'll try to do them. I make no promises though.

* * *

title: wake up  
characters: Hakuryuu, Shuu  
summary: Its already past ten and Shuu just wants Hakuryuu to wake up.

* * *

The sun was out, already shining and casting its bright rays upon the land and even into a dark bedroom. Within this room a certain silver and platinum colored hair male was peacefully sleeping. The light from the outside had managed to shine into the room and just a bit onto his face, yet he seemed to be unaffected by the source.

And while he slept, a certain dark navy haired male kept watch. He had been for a few minutes or so, assuming that any time now that his dragon companion would wake up. Yet, he hadn't. Its not like Hakuryuu had been tired the night before, but he was known for sleeping in every now and then. Today seemed liked one of those days.

Shuu sighed to the sight, it was a nice one, rare. Not many were graced to see a rather calm and at ease Hakuryuu, so being able to witness this sight had made the spirit quite happy. But he also wished for the other to be awake. It was no fun being in Hakuryuu's home unless if he had the other male to be with.

"Ha-ku-ry-uu~." Shuu chimed, pronouncing each syllable of his name in a playful tone. A hand had gone to the sleeping boy's side, lightly poking the other's waist. Normally, that would cause some sort of reaction, that is if he were awake. While asleep…nothing. Not even a single budge or movement, just his chest moving up and down as he breathed during his slumber.

The spirit pouts upon not getting a response. So, he tried again, this time poking at his cheek and saying his name a little louder. "Hakuryuu!"

Was there any reaction from this? Nope. He pouts even more now, cheeks puffing up while trying to figure out a way to wake him up. He decides that he should lie over him, or kind of lie down on him. If he feels something heavy on his body, then he must wake up! It was a genius idea and it had to work!

With a smile returning to his face, Shuu just plops himself over Hakuryuu's body, lying horizontally over him, his body covering most of the sleeping male's midsection. The spirit turns his head with expectant eyes, anticipating an angry glare from him and something about telling him to not do a stupid thing like that while he slept.

But still, nothing.

"Hakuryuu is such a meanie…" He mumbles as he crawls over the other and ends up sitting down beside Hakuryuu. Thankfully this bed had space for at least two bodies, though it still felt a little cramped since the silver haired boy had taken up most of the bed.

Shuu decided to poke at him some more, trying to gain some type of reaction from him. Even an annoyed sleepy gruff. But as expected, he got nothing. Now he was the one getting irritated. Hmph! Who knew that Hakuryuu would manage to be the one to annoy him without even trying? Normally it was the other way around.

It seemed hopeless now as Shuu had stopped poking him for a few minutes. He hadn't really given up, he just lacked anymore ideas. He thought he did until one came into his mind.

"Hakuryuu would really hate me for it…but I'm so bored," Shuu mused, thinking that he could justify his actions if he voiced them. Besides, its not like he'd get a second opinion from the soon to be victim of his little idea. Yet, it didn't stop him from grinning, imaging the other finally awake had made him decide to follow through with this thought of his.

Shuu gently placed his hands onto Hakuryuu's left side, the one he was sitting next to. He hummed a bit as his eyes glanced over to see his sleeping face one last time. Mentally, he counted down from three to one, and at the final number, he forcefully shoved the other male off the bed, his body hitting the floor with a loud noise. Thankfully the bed wasn't high off the ground or else the spirit would have never have gone through with it.

"Ah! What the hell?!" An angry voice came from the side of the bed and Shuu smiled upon hearing it. That had done the trick.

Hakuryuu growled as he was forcefully awaken, a bit of pain coursing through him but nothing that would bother him for more than a few moments. Though, he was still pissed at being awaken in such a rough manner. His red eyes instantly locked onto the one who had done such an act to him.

"Shuu…"

"Yay! Hakuryuu is awake!"

Shuu sounded so happy and innocent, not even seeming like what he had done was bad to the other. It wasn't that bad, but it definitely was not good either.

"What the hell was that for?"

"Hakuryuu is angry…but I just wanted you to wake up."

"Ugh. You could have found another way to do it! Next time, don't you dare to even try something like that again."

"I won't…only if Hakuryuu wakes up on time!"

Shuu grinned as he hoped off the bed and offered a hand to the now awake human. Hakuryuu was still indeed angry with him, his temper was never too quick to settle, but seeing the other happy, it might just make it fizzle out a bit faster than normal. The silver haired boy sighed before roughly grabbing his hand and using his help to stand.

"Sorry for being rough, I just really, really wanted you to wake up."

An apology that didn't sound so genuine caused Hakuryuu to shoot him a quick glare. If anything, he could put together that the spirit had been bored or just wanted his attention, or both. Its not like there was anyone else to bother in his home. Even if there were, Shuu would want to come to him first.

He thought about getting back at the other, finding a way to forcefully wake him up. Though, even if he did, he probably wouldn't be able to follow through with it, especially if he managed to catch the other asleep. Last time he managed to find Shuu sleeping, he couldn't be around him due to his heart rate increasing and thoughts racing elsewhere than his intentional actions.

"Well, I'm awake now. You got what you wanted," Hakuryuu spoke as he turned his gaze away from Shuu, deciding not to linger upon those thoughts for too long. "I'm going to make something to eat."

"I can't wait to try your cooking!"

"Who said I was making any for you?"

"Pretty please, Hakuryuu!"

Cue the cute puppy dog eye look that the spirit had learned from others would get a positive answer from the other if done correctly. The human glared at him, not expecting Shuu to pull this on him. And rather than stare for long, he just quickly turned away from him, again.

"Fine. I'll make you something to."

"Thank you, Hakuryuu! You're the best~!"


	2. Comfort

title: Comfort  
characters: Akane Yamana, male!reader  
pairings: one-sided reader/Akane  
summary: You just want to let the one you love know that you care.

* * *

It was easy to notice the hint of sadness in her eyes, to you anyway. While you were sure others could eventually notice it, you had come to spot it out in an instance. After all, you had always kept an eye on her. And it was so easy to guess why the girl of your dreams had been quite sad the past few days.

The man of her dreams had been sent off to space to participate in some galactic soccer tournament. Yeah, it sounded pretty crazy, but he wasn't the only one to be sent off to space in order to defend the Earth. A couple of others from your team, Tsurugi and Tenma, had been selected. Then there were those other 'soccer' players who were selected. They really weren't soccer players at first, from what you could gather during their time as a team, but even you had to admit that they had progressed from zeroes to heroes. Or something along those lines.

But, they weren't the focus of your thoughts. The whole saving the galaxy was important, but there was something even more important to you. And it involved one of your team's managers, who still didn't seem as happy as she could be.

With her beloved Shindou gone, Akane did not have the energetic smile that graced her beautiful face during the day. Oh, she did still smile, but it wasn't as bright as you knew it could be.

It hurt seeing her down like that, but it hurt even more knowing that her mind was on the team's old captain. Of course, this was nothing new to you. You had become aware of her feelings for the wealthy soccer player very early on (it was way to obvious that she loved that guy anyway) and had told yourself to move on. What chance did you have against someone like Shindou?

You weren't as rich as he was, not as smart, close to it but not really, a rather decent soccer player, and had average looks, at least thats what you thought. You weren't physically the strongest, but had some strength, maybe a little more than that brunette, you hoped so. And lets not mention the whole musical talent, while you had none, that boy definitely had something amazing. Being a part of a famous soccer team had caused you to have a few admirers, but none interested you. All you wanted to do was capture the eye of that photographer who was sitting on the bench. It was a simple wish and yet it was never answered.

You weren't normally shy, maybe a little quiet, but that was usually when you were around her. It was normal to be like that right? Be nervous around the person you loved? That didn't seem to apply to her, but then again Shindou never seemed to notice the way she looked at him. Or really seem to notice anything that she did.

 _He doesn't deserve to capture your heart when he doesn't even acknowledge your feelings_ , you thought bitterly. You found yourself rather surprised to such a thought. These little comments occasionally crept into your mind at times. You deemed it as your inner jealousy, something you would not like to have peek out and make yourself look like an angry fool.

You shook your head, shaking that thought away and hoping for the moment that it would not return. Especially since you were jogging over to the bench in which Akane sat, her camera in hand as she didn't seem to interested in taking a picture right now- and that made you frown for a second.

"Akane! Mind if I sit by you?" You asked, gaining a cheery tone. It wouldn't be wise to be sounding down while she was. Besides, you weren't one to normally have a frown on your face anyway.

"Ah, [y/n]," the girl turned towards you, a gentle smile forming as she saw you approach. You felt like just melting while seeing a cute smile like that. "Yes, you may. Are you taking a break?"

"Yeah. I won't bother you too long," You replied, happily sitting down beside her. And as you did, you were becoming a little more self conscious about yourself. Sweat was leaking from your skin and your [h/c] hair wasn't as straight as it used to be thanks to running around on the field. And you didn't even want to think if you were giving off a stinky odor, god she shouldn't even be around you if you were! But she didn't mind this, right? This was all part of being a manager, wasn't it? Or kind of the 'perks' of being one.

You let out a sigh while resting beside her, trying to get your thoughts off silly little things like that. Yet, you found your thoughts still returning to her, wondering if she was okay and wanting to talk to her to see if you could get her to smile like she used to. While you were focused on your thoughts, you had become unaware of the many glances you were giving her.

"Is something wrong, [y/n]?" She asked, tilting her head as she looked at you, curiosity in her eyes as well as worry. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Huh?" You came to as you heard her ask that question. Whoops, guess you really weren't expecting to be caught nor were you even aware of actually looking at her for so long. "No! No! You look fine!" _Cute, I mean!_ "I was just…thinking. Sorry, I just didn't mean to stare…"

The worry on her face disappeared and was replaced with a more peaceful look. "Oh, then I am sorry for interrupting your thoughts."

"No, you don't have to apologize…I was just…" You paused, sort of wondering if you should even tell her what was on your mind. Or at least ask her about it. Nothing could go wrong…right? Akane was a very nice, sweet girl and if she didn't want to speak, then you wouldn't pressure her to speak. So, nothing could go wrong. And its not like you were going to confess, heavens no, you did not have the confidence to ask something like that yet.

"Well…I-I was wondering…" You mentally slapped yourself at that slip of the stutter. Come on, be serious! "If you're feeling okay. We all know that Shindou is temporarily gone and we know that you like to watch him. So, you know…" You gave a slight shrug, hoping that she'd get the message that you (or the team since you had specifically used 'we' instead of 'I') were worried about her.

Akane blinked at you, staring at you for a while as she thought about it. The photographer was well aware that she never hid the fact she loved Shindou, but no one had yet to approach her on this subject. Although, you were unaware of that, you had assumed the other managers had spoken of this to her beforehand. It took her a moment to reply as he gaze had turned from you to the camera that was held in her hands.

"Mmm…yes. I am sad that he's gone, but he'll come back soon. Knowing that makes me happy. Shindou isn't away from us forever. And when he comes back, I'll be able to capture more photographs of him after his intergalactic transformation!" A shine could be seen in her eyes as she proclaimed that statement.

You were surprised to find how optimistic she was about all this. Hadn't the thought of the team failing crossed her mind? It didn't seem like it. By the tone of her voice, she sounded very certain that he would return and all would be well. It was pretty bittersweet. You were glad to see her have so much faith in someone, but if only it were you, then you'd be even happier.

"Ah…well, thats good to hear. I'm glad you're not to sad about his departure. You haven't been smiling as much as you used to."

"I haven't?"

 _Shit!_ You mentally cursed. You hadn't realized that you had said that. It seemed so casual to just mention it and now that it was out, you felt like it was the weirdest thing you've ever said in your life! God, you just hoped she wouldn't ask how the hell you noticed that!

"Uhh…yeah, I just sort of noticed, nothing wrong with that." You gave a nervous laugh, completely at a loss of words. Oh god how you just wanted to run back to the field now. Why wasn't anyone asking for you on the field when you wanted them to?

"Hmm…" The girl hummed instead of speaking again. Was she in thought about what you had said or finding you weird? Yeah, maybe leaving should be the right thing to do.

"I'm going to-"

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"Thank you for worrying about me, [y/n]," Akane smiled, one of those smiles that would normally be given whilst around Shindou. Although there was a different emotion behind this one, it still made your heart soar with happiness.

"Its no problem, Akane! If you need to talk to me any time about anything, then I'll be more than happy to listen!" That had just spewed out of your mouth due to the sudden joy, but you also figured it would be good to let her know that. You didn't want to let her say anything else, if she questioned you more on this sort of subject, who knows what else you'll be admitting.

"Anyway, practice, gotta go, you know how that is." With a flash of a quick smile, you quickly jumped up from your seat. "Thank you for letting me sit beside you, Akane." You gave her a slight bow before rushing off back to the field.

As you did, you felt a little happier than before, a light jump in your step. You were still a bit nervous about what was said, but you were happy that you had gotten that message across to her. And maybe, just maybe you could talk to her again on the subject.


	3. Jealous

title: Jealous  
characters: fubuki shirou, fubuki atsuya, afuro terumi  
pairings: shirou/aphrodi  
summary: (AU) Atsuya is just a little jealous of Aphrodi.

* * *

"Oh, Atsuya, I hope you don't mind it, but…Aphrodi is coming over today."

Merely saying that blonde male's name had caused his twin brother's cheeks to light up, eyes shining with a hopeful and tender shimmer, a quiet yet happy expression beaming from his smiling face. It was blatantly obvious just how much Shirou was looking forward to seeing that so called god. If he weren't family, then this sight would definitely make him sick.

"Again? But he was over yesterday!"

There was a low growl in his voice, he didn't dare try to hide how he was upset with that news. Eyebrows furrowed down, soft and warm cheeks puffed up, and arms instantly crossed over his chest, careful not to tangle with his pure white scarf. Unlike his brother, Atsuya was not looking forward to seeing that pretty boy in their home.

"Its only for a little while, Atsuya…I'll tell him not to stay too long today if that'll make you feel better okay?" Shirou tried to compromise with him. He didn't want his beloved brother to be agitated, but he couldn't help but yearn out for the presence of his lover. Keeping them both happy was easy, but when they were within the same area, it was difficult to keep one of them in a good mood.

"Hnnggg…" The orange haired striker grumbled. His eyes kept hold onto Shirou's. It was difficult to say no to him sometimes. Although he felt that if he did end up saying no, then his brother would be stolen from him, aka, he would be forced to go over to Aphrodi's house. And there, he could not keep a watchful eye on either one of them. While he was certain his brother would not do anything promiscuous, it was that little 'angel' he wasn't so sure about. "Fine. Just for a little while. I can't promise his safety if he stays here for too long."

And that had earned him a warm and loving hug from his more gentle brother. "Thank you, Atsuya."

His younger brother grumbled but returned the action. As much as he hated that blondie, he did enjoy the fact that he made his brother smile. Whenever he was around, or whenever his brother was thinking of him, he truly looked the happiest he'd ever seen. And considering how these two were inseparable, then something like that would be true.

A moment after their little embrace, a knock was heard at the door. While a heart soared, another had been set ablaze.

"I'll get it~!"

Atsuya was grateful his twin had volunteered to open the door. Honestly, the striker did not trust himself to be the one to let Aphrodi in. The last time he was supposed to answer it and found that it was his brother's lover, he had nearly slammed it back in his face.

"Terumi!"

"Hello, my lovely Shirou. Looking absolutely amazing, as always."

"Ah, th-thank you…but you look so…pretty- I mean handsome!"

"I know I do, but compared to a god like me, your beauty surpasses mine."

Atsuya refused to look upon the scene that was playing out. Some lovey-dovey talk between the two as they stood in the doorway. He could hear more exchanges before a silence, which he had assumed meant they were kissing right about now. Ugh. How dare that stupid, stupid god do that to his brother!

"Hello, Atsuya. Thank you for letting me come over today. I promise not to be too much trouble and if you find that I am, then I'll leave a little earlier."

His voice was so sweet, enthralling, truly something that only famous singers could posses. Or god as he would put it. There was no hint of anger or frustration, nothing dark that could hint if he was even upset or annoyed by the striker. Atsuya was hoping to at least pick up something from his words, yet there was nothing he could take from a voice like that.

"Oh, yeah, hey to you to, Aphrodi." He never dared to call him by his real name, his universal nickname seemed a fine way to address the blonde.

Aphrodi gave a gentle smile at the younger brother, it was nothing like the smiles he gave the elder one, but it was still soft and radiating with some kind of warmth that was indescribable to Atsuya. He could not understand how he managed to keep up a face like that when he was speaking to someone who hated him. Maybe hate was a little to harsh, but he never tried to hide the fact that he greatly disliked the blonde, whether it be around his brother or even the blonde himself.

Yet, Atsuya was not the one to keep Aphrodi's attention. Shirou's hand had shyly taken a hold of the midfielder's hand, he wanted to hold it as well as take him away from his brother before he ended up trying to punch him. And with that simple tug, the guest was pulled away by the older brother, walking through these rooms that he had become so familiar with due to his constant visits. By now, he didn't need the little snow prince to lead him through this home, but he didn't mind it a single bit.

Someone else within the household did. His normal gaze had turned into a glare as soon as they had both turned their back to the striker. While he could not be angry with his brother, oh heavens he could never be truly pissed off with him, he could be with his angelic lover.

Aphrodi was a nice guy, kinda full of himself at times, really putting himself up on the highest pedestal, but he knew how to take care of his brother. When Shirou was feeling down, if Atsuya wasn't around to cheer him up (which was a rare occurrence), then Aphrodi would seem to instantly appear by his side. He hated to think that some stranger was better at recognizing his brother's feelings than he was. They had been together the longest, so of course he should know how his own brother is feeling after all these years!

Hands clenched into fists as he thought of how that 'god' managed to make his brother light up with joy and steal all of his attention from him. Part of his anger and dislike of the blonde had grown from the latter bit. If the striker were to stop and think for a moment, then he'd realize that most of his hatred for him had come from this sort of jealousy he had for the blonde. Taking Shirou away from him, stealing not only his attention, but his thoughts and body to. His brother would become so entranced by Aphrodi that he felt as if he would be completely forgotten while he was around. And it stung to imagine if that were the case, so he never did imagine it. He couldn't let a thought like that get to him.

Atsuya took in a deep breath, holding it for a few moments, counting down until letting it out. He needed to calm down, distract himself for a while. He was certain this mood of his wasn't going to just disappear anytime soon. As much as he wanted to keep watch on the two, if he did then he might just find himself being scolded by his older brother. While it wasn't unusual, he didn't like the annoyed or angry look that Shirou had whenever it came to a mini lecture of his. That was not what he wanted to see or hear. So, he decided that the easiest way to get his mind off this was to go out and practice his latest soccer technique.

...

It was beginning to get late, the sun had already set, the moon was beginning to rise and replace that ball of fire in the sky, accompanied by its glittery companions. And while that was happening, Atsuya had yet to see Aphrodi leave their home.

 _"I won't stay late my ass…"_

He grumbled, upset to the fact that the angel was still here. He was supposed to have gone before sunset! While he could certainly blame himself for not forcing his own 'rule' upon the blonde, he didn't want to be the one to blame, besides, he had been way to busy practicing, how could he remember such a thing?

But hey, at least his distraction had worked.

The striker grabbed his ball, quickly storming back inside and nearly following through with the thought of kicking the front door open. Thankfully, he managed not to do such an act, though he felt like it. Especially when he had reached their room and saw the door shut.

Atsuya's mind immediately flew to those immoral actions and he truly hoped that they weren't doing anything of the sort. But if they were, perhaps he could have a reason to literally kick the blonde's ass. That was a fun thought.

When he had opened the door to see the two within the room, he wasn't sure if he was actually relieved or not.

The two were sitting down on the floor, side by side, backs against the older brother's bed. Shirou's eyes were closed, they had been for a while, his body leaning against Aphrodi, who had a hand wrapped around him, his hand resting upon the defender's waist. The blonde's eyes were still open, his gaze had been upon his sweetheart, enjoying the sleeping sight. Although, his maroon eyes had turned from one brother to the other as he had heard the door open.

A hand had been lifted from his side, a single finger placed over his soft lips that had formed a smile. A signal for the striker to be quiet, though he could already get that Shirou had knocked out. His sleeping form was a sight that Atsuya had seen so much, he did not need that god to tell him be silent.

Atsuya rolled his eyes, slowly and quietly taking steps into the room, careful not to make a floorboard creak in hopes to keep his brother asleep. As he managed to successfully accomplish that, once he was close enough, he sat down on Shirou's bed, right next to Aphrodi.

"You should get going," He whispered, impatience dripping from his tone.

"I was, but then your brother had decided to take a nap," Aphrodi responded, careful to move his head only a bit when speaking to the younger brother and speak in a quiet whisper just like the other. "I didn't want to wake him. I was just going to let him wake up on his own."

Atsuya let out a gruff sigh as he rolled his eyes. How disgustingly _sweet_ of him. "You could just wake him up, you know. He'd probably forgive you anyway…" Shirou was far to soft to hold a grudge over someone, especially when it came to this guy.

"I know, but I'd rather let him sleep."

"Yeah, you would want that, _so you can stay here longer to._ " The last bit was a mutter under his breath, something that Aphrodi could only slightly pick up on. The blonde raised a brow to the striker's obvious annoyance. While he was never outright told why Atsuya had disliked him, he could guess why, but had refused to jump to conclusions.

"I do admit I would love to stay longer, but I do wish to respect your wishes to."

Atsuya should be grateful he had been willing to try and listen to his order, though he would truly be grateful if he had actually done what he had asked.

"Maybe you should have."

And as he retorted that, he noticed his brother begin to move. Even if they had been trying to remain quiet, it seems like the noise had gotten to Shirou and had begun to wake him up. A light groan came from him as he shifted beside the blonde, his head moving just a bit towards the source of sound that had caused him to wake.

"Terumi…? Atsuya…?" Shirou's voice was softer and even more quiet than normal. Not even his eyes were wide open as he was squinting at the two of them.

"I hope you slept well, Shirou. But now that you're awake, I need to be going," Aphrodi spoke, still keeping his voice to a whisper.

"I don't…want you to go…" Shirou protested, though he didn't seem awake enough to actually stop him. The most he could do was just continue to remain with his body resting against his.

"He's not staying over night, Shriou," Atsuya piped in, unintentionally going back to his normal volume.

Although it didn't look much like it, the older brother was pouting upon hearing that. Half asleep pouting, which the other two both seemed to find pretty cute.

Now that he knew that his snow angel was awake, Aphrodi began to stand, helping the sleepy brother up only to place him down on the bed. Atsuya, who had been sitting there quickly jumped off once he had seen what the blonde was doing. As his brother was placed on the bed, he helped make sure that he was settled down upon it and seemed to be drifting back to sleep already.

"Good night and good bye, Shirou," the midfielder said quietly, placing his lips against the defender's forehead. Making sure to be quick about this since he could feel the striker's glare upon him.

After giving him a good night kiss, the blonde took a step back from him, enjoying the sight of his sleeping beauty for a moment before turning to head out of his room. He was soon followed by Atsuya. The god could only assume that he wanted to make sure that he was leaving and not trying to find an excuse to stay. But, he was being true to his word, he didn't want to anger the younger brother more than he had already.

"Don't worry, Atsuya, your brother is all yours tomorrow. I can promise you that," He spoke as he stopped at the door. Shirou was already aware of the news, but he'd be busy the following day. The only one who had yet to hear of the news was his brother.

Atsuya just blinked to what he had said. Was he actually not coming over tomorrow? Was he free to be with his brother for the day? The thought of having a day to himself with his twin had made him grin, even if he had received this news from his brother's lover.

"Heh. Good to hear that. You better not pull something stupid, I don't want to see you tomorrow at all, Aphrodi."

"Of course, I'm true to my word," Aphrodi said as he opened the door, taking his leave. "Oh, just tell him good night again for me if he does fully wake up. I'm not sure if he heard me. And good night to you as well."

The angel gave a sweet smile to the orange haired striker before finally stepping out and closing the door behind him. Atsuya just managed to wave a bye to him before he left his sight. With him gone now, he locked the door and sighed to himself, feeling more peaceful and at ease without his presence lurking about his brother.

Still, that last request of his was on his mind. He could completely ignore it, pretend he hadn't heard anything. But he guessed that just this once he could follow out that pretty boy's request.


	4. Bunny

title: Bunny  
characters: Fei Rune, Alpha  
pairings: Fei/Alpha  
summary: Alpha gets a bunny rabbit and shows it to Fei.  
a/n: intentionally short because I'm trying to learn how to drabble again

* * *

A small box was within the hands of the violet haired route agent. There was no lid covering the open section of it, allowing others who passed by him to take a peak inside. Not like many would, most would just assume that it was something work related, yet if they did they might be a little surprised to see what was inside.

The contents of the box was nothing more than a small, fluffy, living creature. It had white fur, very soft at the touch, wide eyes to scan its surroundings, a lively and twitchy nose, and quite powerful legs that allowed the bunny to hop around within its confinement. The creature was not alone within the box, alongside it were some carrots, grass and a small container for water has been placed for the creature to easily access the necessities.

Although the ride wasn't completely smooth, no matter how hard Alpha had tried not to rattle the box around while walking he was certain that he could only do so much. He was unable to tell if the creature disliked the movement, but still tried his best to keep a nice and even pace. Eventually, the box finally met with a table, the creature in it able to move around without the worry of its surroundings shaking anymore. And when it looked up, rather than only seeing the violet haired human, a green haired one was accompanying him.

"Alpha…"

"Yes?"

"Why did you bring this bunny here?"

"Its a Oryctolagus cuniculus."

Fei sighed upon hearing, what he assumed, was the 'proper' name for rabbit or bunny. Did he always have to use those specific scientific names when referring to a creature? His green eyes drifted from the human to the small creature in the box, who seemed to just be hoping around, not really minding the fact that it was in a box.

"You didn't answer my question, you know." The green haired boy pointed out as he slowly reached his hand into the box. He didn't want to end up startling the creature, so he left his hand remain still as the creature seemed to be sniffing at the new thing that was within the box. After a moment, the bunny didn't seem to mind the human hand as Fei was now able to gently run his fingers upon the creature's fur.

"I know. I bought it because it reminded me of you." The boy simply stated that fact. While he had always heard Fei being compared to a rabbit, he never saw the similarities, that is, until he had seen one himself. Upon which, he could not ignore thinking of the green haired male. Perhaps if he had never heard such comparisons, he would not be inclined to compare the two, though he had a feeling that even if he didn't, he could find some similarities. Probably the ears, which were similar to his hair style and the fact that it was a similar color to his keshin.

"Let me guess, you thought I was just as cute as him, huh?" Fei replied, deciding not to go for the obvious reasons why Alpha would be reminded of him when seeing the rabbit. Although he never minded the comparison, he realized that the other male had yet to mention the fluffy animal around him.

"Yes. But I think you are cuter than any other animal or human being." While it sounded somewhat romantic, this had come out from Alpha's usual monotone voice. But, it had made Fei smile. Whether the other was trying to be romantic or not, he knew that he was being truthful. And thats what really mattered.

"Aww~ I didn't know you could be sweet, Alpha!"

"I try to be, in the emotional sense."

Fei chuckled upon that. Alpha trying to be emotional? A nice thought, but the other was terrible at them, they both knew it.

"I know. Anyway, back to the bunny…" Fei replied, glancing back down to the creature. "Are we going to keep him?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure yo- we can take care of him?"

"Yes, I've researched everything on rabbit care before purchasing him."

"Then…did you name him already?"

"Yes."

"What's his name then?"

"Fey."


	5. Homemade Meal

title: Homemade Meal  
characters: Shindou Takuto, Kirino Ranmaru  
summary: Shindou tries to make Kirino a homemade bento.

* * *

Growing up in a very wealthy home had required the maestro to never worry about his meals. Whatever he wanted, the dish was easily cooked up and served to him. Granted, the household wasn't completely lenient, there were certain rules to abide by. And the young heir of this home never disrespected such rules. He never gave much of a fuss, minus the times when he was so overjoyed with the taste of the food that tears had began to escape from his eyes. Other than that, Shindou Takuto never had a problem with meals.

Until now.

The pianist had intended to surprise his best friend with a bento box. A homemade one. While it would have been much, much easier for him to just purchase one or even have his maids make the bento for him, he would not have it. No, he had to be the one to make this meal for his friend.

While in his luxurious kitchen, he did have the items needed set out on the marbled counter. Okay, so maybe he did have some help from a couple of the maids, its not like he knew were all these ingredients or boxes were. But other than that, they had not touched the food, cooked it, or anything of the sort.

Shindou crossed his arms as he looked at the various bento boxes, picking out a pink one that had strawberries decorating the outer side of it. The color had obviously reminded him of his dear friend and he was certain that Kirino would enjoy the little strawberry print that accompanied it.

With that easy decision out of the way, now came the more difficult part. Cooking the food. There was rice, which he assumed would be the easiest, vegetables and fruits, a variety of meat, though he was intent on using the chicken, eggs, beans, tofu, and fish. He wasn't certain that he could use all of these ingredients, perhaps if he made more than one bento he could, or if he messed up he could use whatever was left. But how could he, the great musical prodigy, mess up a simple thing like a bento?

The boy had confidence that he would manage to at least be somewhat successful in his first attempt, but he had soon come to realize that cooking was harder than it seemed.

To say that his first attempt was not a disaster would be an understatement. Sure, he did have some recipes to follow in order to cook each item and had read them throughly that he knew every step beforehand, but this was his first time actually putting them into practice.

The chicken had come to a crispy piece of burnt flesh, there was really nothing that could save that bird now. The carrots, apples, and cucumbers he had chosen were not at all evenly cut. Plus he had nearly cut himself a couple of times while handling the knife and he was grateful that the maids had set bandages aside, as if they knew this might have happened. The eggs were a mess the second he had tried to crack them. He either hit them against the pan's edge to hard or to light, and when he finally did manage to make it successful, some of the shell had fallen onto the pan to. And the rice? What he thought would be the easiest? He had forgotten about it, deciding that he could just leave it boiling on the stove while getting to the other ingredients. That had turned out just as badly, if not worse, than the chicken.

Looking at his disaster of a meal, Shindou rubbed his face to his shoulders, not feeling as determined as he did prior to making this mess. He let out a deep sigh, deciding it would be best to clean up rather than continue to looking at this failure and start again.

A few of the maids, the ones that were efficient in cooking and making the family their meals had decided to peak in on their young master's attempts. They had found it a true surprise when they heard that he wanted to try cooking for himself, though they weren't all that surprised to find him admit that this was for that pink haired friend of his. As much as they wanted to help, they couldn't go against young Takuto's words. The least they could do was watch from the doorway, silently cheering him on as they watched him slave away in the kitchen.

After the fifth try, Shindou was drained from his various attempts and not getting any better results. He angrily slammed his dirty fists onto the kitchen counter, letting out a sigh and doing his best not to let his tears fall. He just _had_ to get this right! He wanted Kirino to have a good lunch that he had made just for him! And it was just so frustrating that he couldn't get this perfected. Some talented prodigy he was.

"Master Shindou?" A feminine voice spoke up, it was one of the maids.

"Ah, yes?" Shindou replied, looking towards her and the couple of others that were making their way into the kitchen.

"We know that you do not wish for our help, but…perhaps our advice would be best?"

"We won't cook the meal for you...but we can help point out what you need to do..."

"And we can all keep an eye on things for you! We can all watch over a different ingredient so you know just the right time to get it!"

The maestro looked to the three of them, immediately wanting to deny their offer, but at this point, perhaps asking for help was not so bad. Sure he wanted to make it himself, but if he continued at this rate, Kirino would be eating nothing but burnt meat and rice with some bloody vegetables, and who knows what else due to his lack of skill in the kitchen.

"Alright, please, help me," Shindou replied, bowing his head towards them. It may be unnecessary, but they were the ones who were the masters within this room. And he was hoping that they would help him succeed in his task.

…

"Ah, Shindou, right on time!" Kirino beamed as he saw his best friend approach his home. He eagerly stepped out of the small gated area to greet him before he could walk him inside. And as he did, the defender couldn't help but notice the tired look on the brunette's face, as well as the white bandages that practically covered his fingers.

"Shindou…are you alright? What happened to you?"

The maestro gave his friend a smile, though it didn't last to long. "Ah, nothing, nothing. I was just up late…working." He gave a nervous chuckle, hoping that his friend wouldn't question this too much. The brunette didn't want to tell him what he had done just yet. "Anyway, I have my surprise for you, Kirino and I don't want to leave it waiting for you."

Kirino gave Shindou a very concerned look, looking ready to give him a scolding. "Shindou…you shouldn't push yourself so much. I don't know what you were doing, but-"

"You can give me the talk later, can we just go inside?"

Kirino sighed as his friend cut him off, but went along with his request anyway. Besides, he was still intent on telling him not to overwork himself after this 'surprise' of his was.

The two had gone inside and as usual, whenever either one of them had been invited over, they had gone straight to the bedroom. Shindou was the first to plop down on Kirino's bed, though was careful not to move the bag he held around too much. As he did, he didn't hesitate to stick his injured fingers into his bag and smile brightly as he held the pink and strawberry printed container to Kirino.

"This is for you, Kirino," Shindou said while handing him the bento. "Its…not the best, even I have to admit that. Although, I worked my hardest to make it…acceptable for you." It couldn't be perfect, not yet, but it would do for now.

Kirino stared at the bento in his hands, curiously looking at it and was stunned, unable to say anything for a while. As far as he was aware, Shindou could not cook. At least, he had never seen him cook besides in the one class they had taken together. Even then they had followed the teacher's instructions and they had paired up in order to make the meal together. If his friend had to cook alone, he wasn't really sure what the outcome would be.

Straying from his thoughts on what might be inside, the defender decided to sit down beside Shindou and gently open up the bento, not wanting to rattle the contents. As he did, he was surprised to see that it was quite presentable. The rice was well cooked, he couldn't really tell if the meat was fine, but it looked like it, the vegetables and fruit were a little off in their size, but only if you wanted to be critical about it all, there seemed to be a squished dumpling that was fighting for room with the slightly crispy looking tamagoyaki, at least he assumed that was the egg dish.

"Ah! Your chopsticks, almost forgot." Shindou dug into his bag, holding them out to Kirino. "I hope you enjoy it."

"Oh, thank you, Shindou," Kirino replied, taking the chopsticks in hand before beginning to try a little bit of everything. For a first try at bentos, or multiple coming from his wealthy friend, he figured that it wasn't really bad. The food was actually good, minus the occasional odd taste, but nothing he couldn't manage.

"Mmm…its good."

"You like it?" Shindou's eyes widened as he asked, looking full of joy upon hearing something positive from him. "You don't have to be harsh on the critique though, I know its not completely perfect…"

"Thats fine. It tastes good and I like it. Plus, you made it for me." Kirino paused as he pointed at Shindou's fingers. "And I don't think it was easy for you."

Shindou gave a nervous laugh, now that he knew his surprise, he guessed it was easy to tell what the injuries were from. "Yeah, I stood up longer than expected until I managed to get it somewhat right…" _And edible._ "Although, I intend to try again, without help from the maids."

"Hm? The maids helped out?"

"Sort of. I did everything, but they told me what to do. I thought I could do it on my own at first, but I don't think you should see the results of those first few tries…"

"I'm glad you let them help. You don't always have to be so strong on your own, you know? If you didn't, I bet you would have come here with more redness in your eyes," Kirino teased while playfully nudging the other. It won him a quick annoyed look from his friend, but the brunette knew he mean well.

"Perhaps so. But I managed to do this for now. I still promise to make you one on my own when I get better."

"I look forward to it, Shindou. And I'll be sure to give you one in return to! I think you should eat one of my bentos some time."

"And I look forward to that as well, Kirino."


	6. Coffee or Hot Chocolate?

title: Coffee or Hot Chocolate?  
characters: female!reader, Fubuki Shirou  
pairings: reader/Fubuki  
summary: Your favorite customer keeps coming to the coffee shop you work at...for hot chocolate.

* * *

Working as a barista was probably on the bottom of your list of jobs that you aspired to have. Its not like it was the greatest job nor the worse, but you didn't find it completely appealing. Besides, how could answering to customers and serving them with a forced smile be any fun? Yet, here you were, working at your local Starbucks, taking orders with a polite smile, asking customers for their names (and cash), and making the many, many different types of coffee that this place offered.

At least, most people came here to buy that dark and warming drink. While there was an occasional few who just came for a snack, sometimes you got a customer who wanted something different, like a smoothie.

Or hot chocolate.

There was this one person- guy, who seemed to have a thing for that particular drink. Honestly, you had no clue why this guy kept coming over to _Starbucks_ , a place that specialized in coffee, for this drink. If you could recall correctly, there was a place nearby that specialized in making hot chocolate. Thinking about it, if you had to choose, you'd definitely go to the other place for this drink. Just as this place offered many variations of coffee, that place offered many variations of hot chocolate, which was pretty amazing since it never occurred to you how much you could do with a drink like that. Maybe you should tell him about it?

But then, you realized if you did, maybe he wouldn't come back here anymore. And you kind of, sort of, did like seeing him. This hot cocoa addict was pretty cute after all.

This guy, well he was more like a man, around your age, just a tad taller than you when it came to height. His hair was a pretty silver color, really spiked up, kind of messy, a bit of a bedhead style but he managed to pull it off. His eyes were a dark teal color, though you had to admit that there was something about it matching with his hair. Maybe he could just really work that natural style of his.

Or maybe you were just crushing on the guy.

You couldn't say that you never really spoke to him either, besides going off of looks wasn't really your thing. While working here, you could pick up on small things, sort of learn how to tell a little bit of a person's personality through the way they ordered and what they ordered. It was even easier when that man, who you eventually found out that his name was Fubuki, enjoyed chatting with you every now and then. It was nothing long, especially during your busy days, but when you were alone, he offered his company. You found it nice, especially since he never really pushed you to speak. Sometimes you two were quiet together, sometimes you could talk up a storm. Most of it depended on your work schedule, though you always tried to keep up a pleasant mood for him.

Thinking about him now, you wondered if he would stop by today. That man never really had a set time on appearing. Sometimes he did, sometimes he just appeared when he was craving the drink, at least thats what he told you with an accompanying laugh, yet you found yourself believing him whenever he said that. He really didn't look like the type to lie anyway. But, things were quiet and lonely here and it would be one of those perfect times for Fubuki to have as company.

Yet, you couldn't get lost in your daydreams since a customer had come through the door. You straightened up, as you always did when someone had entered and let your [e/c] eyes fall on the person who had walked through that door. The expression on your face seemed to lighten up as you saw that familiar man again, and now you even tried to look a tad more presentable to, or as presentable as you could be while working. Your gaze was kept on him and you were imagining that his was focused on you. After all, he didn't seem to be looking anywhere else besides you.

"Good afternoon, what can I get for you today?" You asked while giving Fubuki a smile, hoping that he found it cute. Sure you always smiled at all your customers, but this one seemed to form so much easier on its own.

"You don't have to ask that every time I come in here. I think you know what I want by now. A hot chocolate, please, [y/n]," Fubuki replied with a dashing smile and a wink to.

God, how that smile managed to make you blush. Though, that wink was new. Good thing you didn't have to worry about him knowing your name, you did wear it for others to see after all. And after all the time you two spoke, you were hoping that he was familiar with it just as you were his.

"I know, sorry, its just standard to ask, Fubuki." After saying that, you didn't even need to give the rest of the usual talk as you signed his name onto his preferred cup size. He knew how much it was and gave the exact change, always did. Afterwards, you immediately got to work on making him his ordered drink.

As you did, you still couldn't help wonder about your earlier thoughts. Why he even bothered to come here for this drink. It really was making you curious. And the thought of asking made you a little nervous. Its not like asking a question was so difficult, but what if he found it offensive? Fubuki couldn't, could he? While you may not know him personally, or as well as you would like, you were able to learn that he was a pretty gentle fellow, kind hearted, confident yet a little modest to. At least, thats what you could put together through your little talks and watching his gestures.

"Fubuki!" You called out his name, even though it was unnecessary, you liked the feel of it rolling off your tongue. But that wasn't something you would admit to him.

The man had approached the counter, still gracing you with that smile of his as you handed him his drink. Your hands touched for a moment and you could feel a pleasant warmth from his hands as they glossed over your fingers. If only you could hold onto them, continue to feel their warmth. Wasn't that a delightful thought?

"Thank you, very much, [y/n]."

"You're very welcome," You replied before pausing for a moment, debating for a moment over whether or not to ask, but found yourself already curious to what his answer would be. "Oh, um, Fubuki?"

"Yes?"

He looked at you with a bit of a curious gaze; you definitely had his full attention. When had you ever tried being the one to talk to him first? Normally he'd be the first to start a comment or two, manage to get either a chuckle or bright smile out of you. Then things would flow on from there. Rarely had it been you besides your very repetitive lines.

"I was just wondering, I hope you don't mind me asking…" You cleared your throat, your hands placed down on the counter, nervously tapping an index finger against the marbled set. You glanced down for just a moment before you attempted to fix your eyes upon his. "I want to know…why do you come here for hot chocolate? I-If you don't want to answer, you don't have to, I'm just curious since there are better places..."

Fubuki didn't immediately respond to your question, he just decided to bring the drink to his lips and take a sip of the hot beverage. Afterwards, he set it back down onto the counter, that natural smile of his lighting his face.

"Hmm…I think its because there is a very cute girl that works here," He said in a bit of whisper. Although there was no one else around, he felt that it was right not to be so loud with something like this.

Hearing those words caused your face to flush, if you wanted to try and hide this reaction from him, it would be impossible without covering your whole face. Yet, your hands seemed to be glued to the counter now...or was that just because one of his hands had been placed upon them? At least now you could continue feeling the warmth from them.

"O-Oh!" You managed to stammer that out, though it wasn't much of a response. You really wanted to thank him for a comment like that. Yet, even with your lack of reply, that had made the other give a light chuckle.

"I'm sorry if that wasn't what you were expecting to here, but its the truth. The server here is really cute and knows how to make very, very delicious hot chocolate."

You couldn't help but smile upon hearing that. Fubuki found you cute and enjoyed your hot chocolate!

"Well…y-you know I can make better hot chocolate at home."

"Can you?" He asked, looking a bit excited as those words had reached his ears. "If you do then I'd like to try [y/n]'s hot chocolate some time. May I?"

"Yes! Of course!" You quickly responded, causing another melodious chuckle to escape from him.

"Then, I look forward to it, [y/n]. Your shift ends soon, doesn't it?"

"Yes, I mean, in an hour I'll be off."

"Great. Then I'll wait for you."

"O-Okay!"

You gave him a bright and giddy smile, it was impossible to hide how excited you were over this arrangement. With this thought in mind, you could only hope that your shift would end sooner, after all, you were very eager for this date with Fubuki Shirou.


	7. Troublesome and Oblivious

title: Troublesome and Oblivious  
characters: delinquent!Kazemaru, super innocent!Endou  
summary: Kazemaru is sick of having Endou not fear him and decides that its time to change that.  
a/n: this is the first chapter that will have a continuing one later on/whenever I get to it. Or at least I sort of plan to have it continue since I have another idea for it.

* * *

He was the infamous head of the gang of Raimon middle school, the one that was known as Dark Emperors. The leader was feared among all, no one ever dared to get in his way. Not even the other members of his gang. He held authority over them, managing to even be the strongest of them all, despite having a rather feminine figure. Any remark of that would have led to a rather serious injury, one done either by him or his followers. Although any ill comment thrown at him would lead to one, that would be one to set him off. Surprisingly enough, not many of those statements were uttered near or around the group, they were all too terrified of the consequences to speak.

Yet, there was one person who the Dark Emperor leader, Kazemaru Ichirouta, could not strike fear into. He was an oblivious and very optimistic, too optimistic for his tastes, classmate. This boy should have been like everyone else, another person to push around and be terrified of this leader, yet he wasn't. He was just this happy go lucky soccer freak. But, he was intent on changing this boy's attitude one way or another.

"Endou Mamoru."

"Yes, Kazemaru?"

The brunette with the orange headband had turned to Kazemaru, eyes bright and shining, no trace of fear at all showing on his face. He was probably the only one that seemed to be happy to speak to answer to him. Not even his gang members were this happy when speaking to him, even when they had good news.

"Wipe that smile off your face," Kazemaru spat. An immediate glare struck his face, aiming it right at Endou. There was something about that look of his that he really did not like. Maybe he just wasn't used to seeing a smile after nothing but fear and tears.

"Is there something wrong with it?" Endou asked, looking confused as his hand reached up to touch at his face, thinking maybe he could literally wipe it off his face to. "Hey, maybe you should smile to! I think you'd look better with a smile than that look you have on right now."

"Are you trying to say something, huh? I'll smile whenever I want to." Kazemaru took a step forward, his gaze turning harsh, or more than it already was. He was certain that this kid was not trying to pick a fight with him, just speaking his mind in a very innocent way. The leader had tried many times to get this classmate of his to say something ill of him on purpose, to get him angry, to just make his smile fade completely, yet he never could succeed in that. This kid just seemed impervious to fights.

Endou didn't step back, most would but he remained in place. "Then when you do smile, I want to see it!"

"And what makes you think I'll show it to you?" His arms were crossed, eyes narrowing down at the other happier boy.

"Because you're my friend, aren't you?" Endou stated with no hesitation.

Kazemaru was surprised to hear him say something like that. His expression had even revealed his current confused emotion, before shaking his head at the thought. How could this silly little boy think that they were friends? All Kazemaru ever did was speak to him, force him to give him his lunch, tell him to move aside, even pop some of his soccer balls to! There was nothing friendly about his actions at all.

Although, he never let the others of his gang do anything to him, he found it to be his mission to corrupt this boy in some way. This leader could never understand why he never let the others assist him with this, Someoka seemed more than happy to end up throwing a punch or two at him and Max was eager to try some new tricks that were great for an oblivious kid like him. Yet, he never said yes to them, they could find someone else to play with, there were so many students at this school anyway.

So, why was Kazemaru so fixated on just this one kid? The more he thought about it, the more furious he had become. Why him? Why did he have to be different? Why did he have to not be afraid? Why couldn't he just be like the others in this school and fear the Dark Emperors- no, fear him?

"You're a goddamn fucking idiot, Endou Mamoru." Kazemaru replied with clenched fists, raising it and about to have it meet with the other boy's face. Perhaps if he finally used some physical force on the other, then he'd stop all this crazy nonsense. Why hadn't he ever done this before? He didn't want to think too long about it, he just wanted to get this deed over with.

Right before he could, he felt someone from behind grab his wrist, preventing him from continuing on with this action. As Kazemaru turned his head, the anger on his face was truly evident, even managing to scare the teacher who had stopped this action, Fuyukai.

"D-Do I have to remind you th-that fighting is off limits, Kazemaru Ichirouta…?" The teacher responded, trying to have a calm facade while lecturing this well known delinquent, yet he was pretty frightened of what he could do. Weren't there rumors of his gang scaring the previous teacher here out of this school? Fuyukai honestly hoped that he wouldn't be their next target, but he couldn't let the principal find out that he had let a fight start.

"But we're not fighting at all, Mr. Fuyukai," Endou spoke up before Kazemaru could give one of his threatening remarks.

"Endou…maybe you weren't fighting with him, but he certai-"

"Why don't you believe what he's saying, teach?" Kazemaru said while pulling his wrist out of the elder's grasp. "He says, we weren't fighting."

Fuyukai took a step back, expecting more from the leader or possibly even one of the other Dark Emperors members to be nearby and force him to walk away. "Well…y-you were about to, umm…" His eyes shifted around, getting an ominous feeling, though it was probably all in his head, he was regretting ever stopping him now. "If I catch you two doing this again, you'll both be sent to detention..!"

After giving that half-hearted response, he quickly walked off, not wanting to waste any more time under the supposed watch of the Dark Emperors. But at least he had stopped that fight, right? Surely he wouldn't get fired now.

"I guess he had to go somewhere…" Endou mumbled, not at all thinking that he was just scared by Kazemaru.

The gang leader gave a sigh and rolled his eyes upon hearing the other boy's comment. He really was an idiot, wasn't he?

"And you really don't think I was going to start a fight with you, do you?"

"No, why would you? Did I say something bad?" Endou asked, trying to think if he did say anything 'bad' or offensive, yet couldn't think of anything. Besides, who would ever find a word like 'friend' to be considered bad?

"Hmph." Kazemaru just huffed, not feeling up to trying to push at the innocent boy any longer. The mood was shot down thanks to that stupid teacher of theirs. "Surprisingly, no."

"So, then you're not angry with me?" Endou asked happily, looking to him with those bright eyes again. It was pretty amazing how he managed to jump back so easily in front of the one who was about to punch him in his cute little face.

Kazemaru let out a defeated sigh, still not in the best of moods but not as agitated as he was prior to being stopped by Fuyukai. "No, I'm not. But if-"

"Yay!" The cheerful boy was quick to unintentionally cut him off while wrapping his arms around the other boy. Pulling him into a tight and unescapable hug and gave Kazemaru no time to react at all. "I'm so glad you're not angry with me, Kazemaru!"

Endou let the other go once he was satisfied with his hug, smiling and letting out a gasp. "Oh, I can't be late for my next class! Sorry, I have to go Kazemaru. I'll see you again after school, okay? Bye, bye!" He grinned at the teal haired boy before dashing off, almost as fast as their teacher but with the lack of fear.

The energetic boy had left Kazemaru speechless. That kid had never, _never_ hugged him and the gang leader couldn't even recall the last time he had ever received one. He wasn't even sure if he was angry with the other boy anymore or not. Whatever that boy had done to him, he definitely was not fond of this odd feeling that he had left behind upon him.


	8. Thunderstorm

title: Thunderstorm  
characters: Afuro Terumi, Fubuki Shirou  
pairings: Aphrodi/Fubuki  
summary: A perfect night takes a turn for the worse. There's a frightened boy and another who is there for him.

* * *

In almost an instant, the weather had taken a turn for the worst. Just seconds ago, the night sky was empty, the stars easily seen through the window by the two indoors. The moon's light was able to seep in through the window, illuminating the room with a gentle glow. Constellations could easily be pointed out and there wasn't even a cloud in the sky, nothing could have predicted this change in weather, not even the forecast had.

What had tipped the couple off to this upcoming storm had been the distant booming and thundering noise. It was ignored at first, brushed off as just some construction being done in the city, but the louder it got, the harder it was to ignore.

One of the two was perfectly fine, unaffected by the bipolar weather of nature. This was something uncommon to him, although it wasn't exactly the season for a small storm like this, as long as he was indoors, he didn't mind it so much. As for the other, he had been completely paralyzed by the sound. When it was distant, it hadn't bothered him, but the louder it had gotten, the closer it came, the accompaniment of loud crashing sounds with harsh winds and pattering rain against the building had done nothing but manage to make this boy shake in fear.

Fubuki had not recovered from his fear of that loud, echoing sound that brought back such painful memories. While he had accepted what had happened and managed to be true to himself, become perfect in his own way, he could never forget what had happened that fateful day. His reaction to similar sounds had loosened up; before he would immediately drop down and shield himself within seconds, but now he would just pause for a moment and repeatedly tell himself that everything would be alright. He could remain calm for a while, play it off like it was nothing, but he was still scared, frightened that history might repeat itself, even if they weren't back in Hokkaido or anywhere around snow.

Aphrodi, who was unaffected by this but knew of the other's fear was more than willing to be beside him for the night. It was their plan to be together tonight anyway, just relax, watch some tv, play a couple of games, kiss every now and then, the usual. Yet, this weather was unplanned and the second it had gotten loud enough to cause a reaction from Fubuki, the blonde figured that he would need to push aside their plans and just make sure the silver haired male would be able to get through the night.

"Its okay, Fubuki, everything will be alright…"

The midfielder told him in a soft and soothing voice, pulling the other close to him in a hug, keeping the blanket over them while they sat upon Aphrodi's bed. While he couldn't begin to understand the amount of fear that was filling within his snowy lover, he could comfort him, reassure him, try to protect him from the sounds if he could.

Fubuki let out a quiet whimper, his body trembling against Aphrodi's as he tried to ignore his thoughts, his memories. He was truly grateful that this god was willing to put up with him during a time like this. He had always wanted to be strong and get over this fear himself, but it was so difficult, and forcefully reliving painful memories was not the most pleasant thing to do.

But, he felt warm, safe, beside Aphrodi. The blonde was rubbing Fubuki's back, which did help calm him down. He seemed to be drowning out the rest of his surroundings, only hearing that loud terrible sound and focusing on the blonde. As another sound of thunder struck, the forward found his arms around the other, hands gripping tightly onto the blonde's shirt.

"Shh…Shh…I'm here for you…"

Aphrodi did not enjoy seeing him like this at all. He would very much prefer the other giving him that adorable smile of his, especially with a blush to be with it to. Even if he were annoyed or giving him the cold shoulder, as long as he wasn't terrified and unable to move, anything would be better than this. Seeing him so weak and helpless, sure he wanted to protect him, but how could he against the weather? If only he was a god that could control the natural forces, perhaps than he would be a better protector.

"Aphrodi…?"

Upon hearing his name, the blonde looked to him, a concerned look rested on his face.

"Yes? Is there anything that you need from me?"

"Please...don't leave me…"

He wasn't sure why he was saying this at first, it was just something that was coming out of his mouth. Fubuki was scared and didn't want to be alone during a moment like this. If the other were to leave, he'd probably be worse, and was not fond of that thought. But he knew that he would never leave, would he? Just hearing his answer made him feel a little better.

"I won't, you know I won't…I'll stay with you forever."

Aphrodi smiled at Fubuki, even if he didn't receive one back right now, he would once this all passed. He pressed his lips against the silverette's forehead, a quick little comforting kiss.

"I'm here for you, Fubuki. I always will be."

Fubuki looked up to him, fear still visible in his eyes, but there also seemed to be a spark of hope there to. A light shining in the darkness. While the other did play this godly act every now and then, Fubuki always found himself thinking that he was an angel, his angel, his own personal guardian angel.

"Thank you, Aphrodi…"

He managed to get out before another loud strike was made, causing him to go silent once again and just cling to him even more. While his grip had tighten around Aphrodi, he didn't mind it, after all for looking so timid, he gave real bear killer hugs.

The two remained like that for another hour or so, the storm outside really wasn't going to stop anytime soon. As much as they both wished for that terrible weather to end, it wouldn't for the rest of the night. But, Aphrodi was glad to see that Fubuki had managed to calm down enough to fall asleep. He figured that the other wasn't aware of it, probably tired from all the worry and fear that was going through him. Yet, it was nice to see him manage to rest during this frightful moment.

And although he was tired to, he would stay awake for as long as possible, wanting to be there for Fubuki just in case if he were to awaken from either a nightmare or the thunder outside. Even if he didn't and slept peacefully, he would be at ease knowing that his fears would not overcome him tonight.


	9. Mechanical Lives

title: Mechanical Lives  
characters: mechanic!Ibuki, robot!Manabe  
summary: Ibuki never thought that helping a stranger off the street would lead to meeting someone not of his own species.

* * *

"Hey…Hey, wake up!"

Ibuki shouted to the lavender haired male, keeping his hands on the other boy's shoulders and shaking him in attempt to get him to open his eyes or show some form of consciousness. He had intended to shout more, but really didn't want to attract some unwanted attention. It would probably just lead to unnecessary assumptions, putting him to blame as to why this other guy was unconscious. And he really did not want any sort of bad implications to defile his name.

The other boy looked fine, he really did, minus the bruise on his cheek, broken glasses, and the fact that he was found unconscious right outside some sketchy alleyway. Hey, he could have been left worse, thats the way Ibuki had seen it. The white haired male could only guess that some sort of brawl had occurred or something that ended poorly for this guy. He had intended to ask, but with the other being so unresponsive, he couldn't.

With a sigh, the tall male released the other from his hold and scratched the back of his head for a moment. He could just continue to go on, act like he hadn't seen him, but he had a feeling that guilt would be setting in later if he went on his way and ignored his situation. If only he hadn't had seen him or had gotten curious over the other, then he wouldn't have to worry about his conscience nagging at him.

He clicked his tongue before reaching down to the shorter male, having his arms wrap around the other in order to pull him up off the ground. This guy was surprisingly heavier than he thought, but he could handle this weight. Ibuki held onto the unconscious one, making sure he was kept steady as he remained over his shoulder. Once he was set and certain that he wouldn't fall or make any odd movements, he began to continue on his way home, now with an injured stranger.

…

The unconscious male had been placed upon Ibuki's couch in his living room when he had gotten home. He really wasn't sure where else to put him, but figured that maybe waking up in a place like this rather then on the floor or elsewhere would be a little more comforting. Although, waking up in a stranger's home might not be that great, but it was definitely better than being left in an alleyway, at least thats what Ibuki thought.

"Come on, can't you just wake up already?" Ibuki asked the sleeping male, not really expecting a response from him. And he didn't get one, not immediately anyway.

A couple of minutes passed and the conscious one was about to go and make himself something to eat. He figured that if he was hungry, then that guy might be to. And that guy would probably be happy to eat something that Ibuki prepared for him. Though, just as he was about to head into the kitchen, the unconscious- or rather now second conscious male began to stir.

"Hnngg…" There was a groan that escaped from the lavender haired boy as he was coming to. Taupe eyes blinked open while a hand of his hand been lifted to adjust his glasses. It took a moment for him to realize that his eyewear had been damaged as he frowned and seemed to focus on the lack of glass on one side and the shattered glass on the other. As he forced himself to sat up, he felt a pain in his side, causing him to lean over and clutch at it for a moment. A pain-filled gasp escaped from him as he did so.

"You alright?" Ibuki asked after a moment, letting the other have some time to come to before asking anything, but he was quick to move to the couch to see if he was fine, or as fine as he could be.

"I am…satisfactory," the other replied, even though it was obvious he was not. The shorter looked up to the white haired male, his eyes seeming to scan his body and trying to identify who he was. "Who…are you and where…am I?"

"Tch. You don't recognize me?" Ibuki felt a little offended. He would have thought that every one knew a great mechanic like him! After all, he had managed to do so many jobs singlehandedly and at a professional level, how could others not know about him? And if that didn't get his name to be spread, usually his attitude did. "The name's Ibuki Munemasa. And you're in my home, on my couch."

The other looked at him, taking a moment before he responded, "I am Manabe Jinichirou…and I need to return to my home."

After stating that, Manabe had tried to stand, ignoring the pain in his side, but found himself falling back down to the couch. He didn't seem to stunned by this action, possibly a little irritated that he couldn't stand properly.

"Yeah, you can return home once you're feeling better, Manabe," Ibuki replied as his plum eyes rested upon Manabe's waist, where his hand was currently holding what he could only assume was a terrible injury. "And once you can actually stand on your own. Anyway, what the hell happened to you?"

Although he asked that, the mechanic didn't waste time upon lifting the other's hand off his side and Manabe didn't really put up a fight to try and stop him from lifting up his shirt either. But when he did, Ibuki was rather surprised at the sight, even letting out a gasp.

"What the hell…?"

"What is the matter, Ibuki?"

"You're…a robot?!"

"Were you not aware of that?"

While he was not fond of Manabe's remark, he couldn't tear his eyes off the other's partial internal 'organs' being shown. Whatever had been used for a fleshy covering to imitate human skin had been ripped off like paper, revealing wires, metal plates, probably some chips and other parts that Ibuki guessed were necessary for this guy to function. It was amazing to just get a peek inside this robot though, he had never managed to see the inner workings of one so up close before. The closest most people could ever get would be through an image on a computer screen.

"You know, if I was I wouldn't have said that." And probably taken him back home, were he assumed he could be fixed; that is if he even had someone to fix him back there. Did robots have personal assistances for this kind of stuff anyway? Ibuki wasn't exactly up to date with the robotics side of their country since he figured they were all secluded and being watched by their creators. He knew there was something important about human-like robots, but he thought they were all in one 'testing' area. Perhaps he should do more of his research now that he was dealing with one so up close.

"Apologies. Perhaps I am still…rattled from earlier," the robot said with a sigh. That was the conclusion he could come to due to an error like that. After all, he felt that his processing unit was running a bit slower than usual, though that was sure to kick into gear soon. "I did not mean to question your intelligence."

"Yeah, yeah whatever, just…don't move. Or try to get up." Ibuki paused for a moment before lifting up more of the robot's shirt. It was odd to see how human his body looked, the unaffected part of his body anyway. "I guess its just that piece thats damaged." He pointed out while touching around the revealed wirings, his hand moving from something that really did feel like human skin to hard metal.

"Please…do not lift my clothing so high," Manabe said, a bit of agitation in his voice. He disliked the other's actions of doing such things without asking. "The skin will regenerate over time, but I will need to repair myself before that happens."

Ibuki moved his hands off Manabe, allowing his shirt to fall back down and slightly cover up his damaged part. "Well, I have parts if you need them, though they're not for robots…" He muttered, glancing over to the door that held his garage with all of his tools and such belongings for his work. It was all just mostly for vehicles or any other sort of mechanical object. He wasn't too sure if those parts would be able to work on a more...advanced machine like him. "You never told me what happened to you, you know. Its like a robotic dog took a bite out of you or something…"

Manabe had opened his mouth to answer, but found that he could not. He replayed the memories he had recorded up until he had been turned off or knocked unconscious. Had his memory banks been tampered with? No, there were no damages there nor sign of alterations. It was mainly just that broken piece just above his waist, that slight damaging to his cheek, and his glasses, which were an external problem and could be worried about later.

"I…cannot recall what happened," he finally admitted after a moment passed. "It is…troubling me…I do not know what could have led to something like this to be done…"

Ibuki had been keeping his eyes on the other's expression, surprised to find how troubled, no possibly frightened he looked by the lack of memory to his earlier experience. Were robots this capable of expression already? He shouldn't be too surprised by this, besides, the guy looked practically human from the start.

"Hmm…I could think of a few reasons, though I would think anyone who did that to you would want to haul you away or something." Maybe someone wanted a robot for themselves and had found Manabe. Or they knew that there was some part inside of the other and tried taking it for himself. The possibilities weren't limited to those situations, but it didn't really explain why he was left behind looking like a human that had just gotten mugged.

"I can as well, but none are making any sense…" Manabe frowned to the thought. He was beginning to get an ominous feeling over him, but couldn't understand why. There was nothing to 'fear' as the humans would put it. This Ibuki human seemed trustworthy, a little rude and upfront, but a good person. Perhaps that irrational fear was coming from him unable to find the source of what had caused these damages.

"Whatever. We can find the reason later. I'm getting hungry…" Ibuki mumbled before staring at Manabe for a moment. "Do…you eat human food?"

"Yes, I do. My internal workings mimic that of a human. I can consume and digest whatever you make."

"Cool, then I'll make us something, then you can repair yourself, and go on home."

Manabe looked down as Ibuki had suggested that. It sounded like a stable plan as he checked to make sure that he would be able to process the food. There might be some slight pain, but he would be alright. Yet, he wasn't really looking forward to leaving. That irrational fear was striking him for returning home and couldn't understand why. He did not want to leave this human's side.

"Ibuki Munemasa…"

"Just Ibuki is fine."

"Then, Ibuki…may I remain here for a while? Until I completely recover from the shock of what has happened to me." He would suggest until his memory of this attack had been found, but that would have been prompted by now…

Ibuki gave the other a confused look, unsure of why he would want to stay with him. He did state that he needed to get home and robots were supposed to follow through with their thoughts, right? He had seem pretty intent on it just a moment ago, what could have changed his mind? The mechanic wanted to tell him no, but couldn't find it in himself to say it.

"Fine. Only for a little while. Like…two weeks the most. Then you have to go on back home. Sound good?"

The robot nodded, giving a small smile to his response. Ibuki was pretty surprised to even see a reaction like that come from Manabe. It was small, like his other expressions but still managed to be there.

"Thank you, Ibuki. I will not be a burden upon you or your household. I promise."


	10. Kidnap Me!

title: Kidnap Me!  
characters: dragon!Hakuryuu, prince!Taiyou  
summary: basically this prompt - Person A is royalty, Person B is a dragon. Person A spends all their time trying to convince Person B to kidnap them.

* * *

"Hakuryuu! Hakuryuuuuuuuuu!"

A voice called out from a young male, dressed in regal clothing who was traversing through the outer section of a garden, one that was being shadowed by a large castle. The garden was connected to the structure, those that resided within could easily leave to access the peaceful and lush scenery. This luxurious sight was a gift, one that the prince had come to appreciate and learn a secret of the garden as well. If one were to travel out far enough, there was a piece of the hedge, that acted like a grassy gate, that would allow someone to enter and exit from it. Thus, one could leave the garden and find themselves in the forest that lay beyond the castle grounds.

And that was exactly what the young prince was aiming for.

Prince Taiyou Amemiya could never keep inside the castle walls all day. No matter how many duties or private lessons or inter kingdom meetings he had to get to, they could not restrain him for long. He just had to take a break, find a way to get outside and have some sort of freedom. Going into the town was to risky, yet he had done so many times before. But with his advisors becoming more aware of his actions, more guards had been posted to keep an eye out for him. While it was fun to try and be sneaky to get away from them, getting caught was not as enjoyable. So, he was confined to the garden they owned. Temporarily anyway.

A few weeks ago, he had learned of this secret passage, thats what he liked to call it, a way to the outside world. The bright and sunny prince was never scared to venture out into the forest, sure there were nothing but ill words and warnings given, but when had that ever stopped him from being so adventerous?

While there was no one path for Taiyou to follow, he found exploring the forest to be enjoyable, a new adventure every time. As long as his home was kept in sight, which was very difficult to keep out of sight considering the castle's size, he could find a way back home and use the excuse of playing hide and seek to explain why he was late. And the guards always bought such a lie. He was truly grateful that no one had found out about the little entrance to this place and he would make sure no one ever did. Well, not those who would ban him from using such a secret pathway.

"Hakuryuu! Ha! Ku! Ry! Uu!"

The orange haired prince shouted while placing a hand on his hips. He had finally stopped by a small pond, standing just at the rocky edges, barely missing the water that lapped at its surrounding barrier. He took a quick peek into the water, smiling into it as he saw a clear reflection of himself. It was such a clear piece, it was surprising that water like this was not within the castle's garden. As he continued to look at his reflection, his eyes seemed to be focusing on something else, something underneath the water.

Whatever it was had caught his attention, probably just some fish but a species he had yet to see up close before, and he began to lean forward, the upper half of his body nearly bending towards the water. The prince hummed for a moment, trying to get a peek of what the underwater creature might be. And as he was about to get a look, he felt his body beginning to fall forward.

Just as he realized that his body was falling, he tried to pull back, save himself from falling into the water. It would definitely be difficult to explain that he had fallen into a source of water, and he was certain that he would be scolded for the affects it would have on his health! But, just before any part of him could hit the water, Taiyou felt something begin to wrap around his midsection and yank him back.

"Ah!" He let out a surprised shout as he was pulled back, colliding with something that was definitely not a tree. There was an 'oof' noise that came from him as he made contact with this…thing. He turned his head up just a bit to see what he his body had hit. And upon seeing what, or who it was, a huge grin was plastered on his face.

"Hakuryuu! You made it!"

The one known as Hakuryuu just huffed and stepped back from the other now that he knew that the boy was safe. While many would have been frightened of his appearance, he was always surprised to find that Taiyou never even flinched upon his sight, not even when they first encountered each other. While he had the form of a normal human boy, he was anything but that.

This male had shining white hair that changed to a platinum color as it rested against his neck and flowed down to his mid back. His eyes were a sharp red, a rare color in this world, fangs instead of teeth, a tongue that was partially forked, white and yellow lined horns stemming out from the side of his head, short ones since he was still young. His chest was bare, revealing some patches of silver skin- scales that were smooth at the touch, they were seen all over his body, arms, legs, neck, none on his face though. Hands and feet were clawed, a pair of ragged green shorts covered his lower section, but was designed for his long white tail to be free, which was what he used to catch the blue eyed prince.

That tail of his flicked behind him once he had released the human and his red stare was harsh on the other. "Of course I made it. I heard you calling my name. You wouldn't stop unless if I appeared."

The boy smiled at him, it never once wavered even while the other was giving him that mean glare. "I know. And I'm glad you saved me to! My shining dragon~!"

Hakuryuu rolled his eyes to that comment. Its not like he saved him from death, probably just a lecture from what he could make of the prince's talks, or rants as they seemed like it, that came up every now and then. Although, he had to agree with some of those advisors at times. This kid should be locked up for his own good, at least for a couple of days out of the week. Keep him from running around and ending up screwing up his health.

"Whatever. I'm here, now what do you want?"

As soon as that question left his lips, he immediately regretted it. He knew just what the prince wanted.

"Kidnap me," Taiyou responded with no hesitation whatsoever, a determined expression followed. "Take me away with you!"

The dragon sighed to his response. Every since Taiyou had found the dragon resting in the forest, he had constantly asked for this to happen. The human was never frightened of him, no fear resting in his eyes. He was surprised that he managed to find a dragon near his home, but after that, his mind was set on being kidnapped by him. First it was just asking if he could take him elsewhere, but soon it just came to kidnapping. Thats what it would be like anyway, wouldn't it? Its not like his parents or the kingdom would be happy to hear something like he had been escorted by a dragon elsewhere and to the prince, kidnapping just had a hint of danger added to it, which made it all the more exciting.

It made Hakuryuu wonder just what kind of stories they were telling young princes these days. Especially when it came to tales of princes being kidnapped.

"You already know my answer, prince. I'm not kidnapping you," the dragon firmly stated while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh come on! Just imagine what it would be like to have me in your home. A true prince!" Taiyou started before stepping to Hakuryuu's side and placing an arm around his shoulder, not at all minding how close he was to this dangerous being. "I bet other dragons have captured hundred, no, thousands of princes and princesses who never wanted to be captured. You could be the first to have a willing prince, you know? Wouldn't that be something to spread amongst your kind?"

The dragon shrugged the boy's hand off of him and took a step away from him. He was so close to just swiping his tail underneath the boy's feet to make him fall over, but resisted such an action. "I'm not interested in that sort of thing, I told you that already. Stubborn prince…"

"Aww…but don't you want treasure? I know you can't resist the shiny objects." The bright male grinned as he stuck a hand into one of his coat's pockets and when it had come out, he was holding a shining red gem, a ruby. "Ne, don't you want this?"

The dragon stared at the gem for a moment, his initial instinct was to just snatch it from him but just turned his head away. He was still young and learning how to not be obsessed with such objects; he definitely hated when the prince would use this to bribe him every now and then. Perhaps telling him about his little addiction would have been best left unsaid.

"No, I don't," Hakuryuu replied, though his voice wasn't as certain as it once was.

"I know you do. It can be yours if you kidnap me~."

"I'm not kidnapping you over one single ruby!"

"How about two?"

"No."

"Three?"

"No."

"Okay, four?"

"Still, no."

"Hmmm…twenty?"

The dragon hesitates for a moment.

"No."

Taiyou clicked his tongue as he crossed his arms, puffing up his cheeks with a pout. "I thought you would say yes to that at least…"

"I'm not letting you win me over that easily." He replied as he finally turned back to look at the prince. "I may breathe fire for you for that much, but kidnapping, no."

"I know…"

"Anyway, besides your usual kidnap begging…" Hakuryuu started before walking over to the prince, grabbing his arm and pulling him to sit down with him near the pond's edge. While the prince couldn't put his feet into the water due to his regal pants and very high class studded boots, the dragon could soak his feet in it for a while. "Did, uhh, whats-her-name yell at you again?"

"Ranko," Taiyou cleared. "I thought you'd know her name by now. Ranko Karibe."

"Right. As long as I remember that she's your main teacher, thats all that matters."

"You should remember _all_ of my teachers and advisors."

Hakuryuu rolled his eyes. "No way, I don't live in that castle, its not my job to do that."

"But it makes it easier if you do! That way I don't have to keep telling you who does what." The prince sighed for a moment. "But anyway, I'll tell you what she told me this time…"

And so began one of Taiyou's rants, which were just his complaints about what those in the castle had prevented him from doing and how he managed to occasionally find a way around their words. He could never really talk to this to anyone since there were no other children his age within the castle, not even some of his butlers or maids were around his age! It was truly ridiculous. The closest one to his age was Hakuryuu. Although he was told once that in human years he would be around Taiyou's age, but in dragon years he was far older than the prince.

The dragon didn't seem to mind the prince going on and on about his life. Dragons could never really walk around in a human town or city due to their status; a castle was definitely out of the question. It would lead to nothing but chaos, so it was difficult for a creature like him to learn about humans first hand. The best way he could was through this eccentric prince. Although, he didn't keep quiet when listening to him, Hakuryuu would put in a comment or two or even a question.

And after Taiyou gave his rants with accompanying answers, it was usually Hakuryuu's turn to give his more heated and angry tirades about the other dragons he knew or humans he had encountered while he was away. The prince definitely found it so interesting and, while the dragon wasn't aware of it, speaking of his own life had really just encouraged the human's determination to be kidnapped even more. It honestly sounded like it would be so fun to live with a dragon! Although he would not want to be caught up in a fight between two, apparently dragon fights were rare but very, very vicious. It had surprised him to find Hakuryuu once so badly injured when he had come out to the forest. Dragons were one of the most powerful creatures and seeing one, especially one he knew hurt, it really did prove how strong they were since many humans could not even graze one.

When their chat had ended, they both went quiet for a moment, one enjoying the momentary silence of the forest, the other admiring the look of such an amazing creature beside him.

After a moment, a curious human hand had made its way to the dragon's stomach, particularly landing on a piece of flesh that was covered in one of those scaly patches. Feeling the sudden hand had startled the dragon and had instantly turned to glare at him, his clawed hand immediately gripping onto the human's wrist.

"Did I scare the big and terrifying dragon?" Taiyou asked, ignoring the pain that he was receiving from the dragon's claws.

"Tch. 'Course not." Hakuryuu huffed while slowly letting go of him. This wasn't the first time he had tried to touch his scales without his permission, it was just his his usual reaction to such a thing. "Its your fault for not asking."

"But I thought it would be okay. You know I won't try to pick one off," Taiyou replied, gently touching the dragon's scales. They were just so nice to touch and he could only wish that Hakuryuu wasn't so jumpy about him touching them.

Hakuryuu just sighed as the other's hand glided over those scales, his cheeks turning a light pink while turning away. So far, this prince was the only human who was allowed to touch his priceless scales and it sort of felt nice when he did.

"Alright, enough." The dragon said while moving away from the prince, standing up and finally taking his feet out of the water. "Its time you head back now."

"Awwww, but I still haven't gotten you to kidnap me!" Cue his usual princely pout. Another attempt to be kidnapped failed.

"You can try again next time." As much as he didn't want to give the prince hope, that would get him to leave a bit faster. "Just get your ass back to the castle before they end up yelling for you. Your guards have such annoying voices..."

"Okay, but before I go…" Taiyou paused as he stood up and took the dragon's hand, putting the gem from earlier into it. "For you. No request this time. Oh, just that you can't run away from my persuasions next time." He was intent on getting kidnapped after all.

Hakuryuu looked down as he felt the ruby being pressed into his claws, as soon as the human hands left his, he held the red gem in both of his hands. It made the dragon smile as he received the little gift. Sure it was just one gem, but it was one from royalty…and a friend (not that he would admit that).

"Thanks," Hakuryuu replied, trying to get that smile off his face, it was a shame his tail was giving away his joy with its slight wagging movement behind him. "Now hurry up and go before I burn you."

Taiyou chuckled to the threat, even if it did sound like he meant it, he was certain that Hakuryuu would not try to do something like that. "Okay, okay. I'll see you soon, Hakuryuu!"

The human gave a wave to the dragon as he began to dash off back to the garden. The closer he got, the more he could hear some worried chatter about his disappearance in the garden, but since it was a common thing they figured he would pop up soon. Taiyou waited for the right moment, waiting for silence so he could make his appearance and sneakily head back inside the garden compounds. As he managed to make it back inside without being caught by a guard, he turned back, eyeing the forest trees that hovered over the garden's hedge. He couldn't wait to escape and meet with that dragon friend of his once more.


	11. Hugs & Kisses

title: Hugs & Kisses  
characters: Tsurugi Kyousuke, Matsukaze Tenma  
pairings: kyousuke/tenma  
summary: Tsurugi just wants to show Tenma that he can hug him to...and maybe do a bit more.

* * *

It was not a rare sight to find a certain soccer loving brunette literally attached to a certain angry looking dark bluenette. The shorter had his arms wrapped around the taller, happily embracing him with a huge grin on his face. While that smile was mostly displayed when enjoying his most favorite sport it had also come to show while showering Kyousuke in affection, which was often.

As for the taller and more brooding male, showing his affection towards Tenma was sparse, usually only shown when the two were alone. Being openly affectionate was never really his thing, but being possessive of his dear lover was. Which meant whenever he felt that someone had their eyes on his soccer loving freak, he couldn't help but immediately put an arm around the brunette and pull him up against his body, all while giving his signature glare to whoever may be interested in him.

Yet, for any other occasion, Kyousuke found it difficult to be so assertive and just hug Tenma whenever he wished. Although, he felt that if he were to follow through with that, he really would never let Tenma go. Almost like how the midfielder was to him right now, just happily hugging his scary looking boyfriend without a care in the world. It didn't seem like he was going to let go any time soon.

"Kyousuke is so warm and huggable!"

The comment came unexpectedly, catching the one within his grasp off guard. Its not like he meant to startle the other, he was just saying what was on his mind. And currently, the forward was on his mind.

In response, the striker just cleared his throat, not really have a proper reply to something like that. Of course, he did have many things he wanted to tell the other, tell him how beautiful and radiant he was, how his joyfulness was infectious, how that smile was practically making his heart race and that without him, he would be a very different person. But, he couldn't find it in himself to speak those charming words. Its not that he was embarrassed, no, they were alone and he could say something like that to him, he just wanted to find the right moment to say it.

But for now, he wanted to try and show the other that he could be affectionate. Kyousuke was certain if he even dared to say that, Tenma would rebuttal with something along the lines that he knew that he loved him and didn't mind if he did. After all, the midfielder knew the other could be loving when he wanted to be.

"Tenma?"

"Yes?"

The smaller looked up to him, blue hues looking up to him and into his own. The other wasn't too sure what to expect, but if it was from Kyousuke then he figured it would be something good.

"Can you…let go of me for a second?"

Tenma blinked to the request, tilting his head and trying to see if he had angered the other in any way. Was he hugging the other too much? Was it bad that he liked doing such a thing? As worried as he was about this, he still released the other from his grip.

"Did I do something wrong?" The brunette asked, visibly worried that he had. The striker shook his head, feeling a tad guilty for even asking that now.

"No, I just wanted to do something…"

And saying that had relieved the other of his worrisome look. It was good to see him smiling again, so quick to recover just after a such short few words left his lips.

Now, Kyousuke stood straight, practically going stiff to what he was going to do. Though, he just had to remind himself that he didn't have to worry so much about this. The look on Tenma's face reassured that he could do what he liked; he wanted the younger Tsurugi brother to be just as happy as he was, even if he didn't show it.

After a moment of hesitation, a sigh was released as Kyousuke let his body relax. His arms then reached out to the brunette, wrapping them around the other and pulling him up against his body. Tenma smiled to the action, immediately putting his arms around the other in return, continuing his hug from earlier.

Kyousuke's face had heated up from a simple action, but Tenma didn't seem intent on pointing it out, just nuzzling the taller right against his chest, his hair tickling against the taller's neck. They remained like this for a moment before one, the more grumpy looking one, began to pull back, which caused the more cheerful one to look up to him, which was exactly what Kyousuke had wanted.

As soon as the other had looked up to him, Kyousuke had leaned down to have his lips press against the other boy's forehead. Some of his hair got in the way of this kiss, but he the bluenette didn't really mind, he wanted to kiss the other and he did. Granted it wasn't on the lips, but they had yet to have their first kiss like that yet.

After a moment of leaving his lips against him, he pulled back to look down at the other, finding him with a very bright red face.

"K-K-Kyousuke!" Tenma stammered out, it didn't seem like he knew how to react to that. And seeing the brunette blush madly had only caused the forward's face to redden as well. Even his blushes were infectious.

"What? I thought you would enjoy that…"

Kyousuke replied while glancing away. Now it was his turn to worry about the action he had done. But as he felt Tenma's grip squeeze around his waist a little more, he guessed that it wasn't much to worry about.

"I did! I just wasn't expecting something like that from you!" Tenma admitted, keeping his gaze upon the other. "And…" He paused, taking a gulp before looking determined. "I want to do it to you to!"

Kyousuke raised a brow to that statement and he closed his eyes. The other could not reach his forehead at his height, even on his tippy toes it would take some effort for Tenma to reach there. So, he bends his knees and stands at a suitable height for the other.

With eyes still closed, he is unable to see the smile on Tenma's face, but he feels a hand hold back the bangs that drop over his forehead, allowing the brunette's lips to make perfect contact with his forehead. He feels himself heat up; god he couldn't wait to just kiss him and feel his lips even more than this light and innocent gesture.

When he opens his eyes, he looks to the other, both faces are red and both are smiling, yes, even the grumpy one.

"We should do that again, Kyousuke!" Tenma chimes, enjoying the happiness that he's able to see on his lover's face.

"We will. But for now…" Kyousuke pauses for a moment, standing straight again as he puts his arms back around Tenma. "I'll be the one to hug you for a while."


	12. Snow

title: Snow  
characters: Kitami Ryuu, Hyoujou Retsuto  
summary: One boy seems to love the snow and the other seems to dislike it.  
a/n: I wanted to try and do something like that 100 word challenge thing but this ended up being like 200+...rip. also these are very minor characters that I simply adore but are pretty much headcanon based.

* * *

Snow had covered the school grounds, as it always did, the surroundings of the school and even the forest, the town, most of Hokkaido had been blanketed by the white substance. It was always like this, always had been.

And today was no different, although it had been one of the many days were the white fluffy pieces were falling from the sky. It wasn't anything to worry about, the weather report had mentioned something about a gentle snowfall today.

Hyoujou Retsuto enjoyed this sort of weather. He absolutely loved it when the snow feel and would leave whatever bits of snow that gathered upon him remain so. He was known for bringing in snow to school anyway, whether it was actually snowing or not, the substance seemed to just latch onto him.

And while no one seemed to question it, they had all become accustomed to something like this after the first couple of weeks of school, there was one other boy who seemed to be concerned for Hyoujou.

Kitami Ryuu, a very silent boy had kept his eyes upon the other forward of Hakuren. Whenever he got the chance, he would dust off the snowy patches that remained on Hyoujou's body.

Whenever asked why he would do such a thing, he never gave a response. It wasn't to surprising, Kitami was the silent type and rarely spoke at all. It bothered Hyoujou that he never got a proper answer from him. He could ask all sorts of things to the other and get one, but never for this.

One day, he got what he wanted and was truly surprised to hear the answer that came from Kitami's lips.

"Someone as stunning as you shouldn't be hiding underneath all this snow, you should let your beauty shine for all its worth."


	13. Ill-Fated

title: Ill-Fated  
characters: Taiyou Amemiya  
summary: Once you get a taste of something thats not meant to be, you can never get it out of your head.

* * *

Taiyou was healed, cured, that disease was no longer apart of his body. He could move freely without a care in the world. No shortness of breath, no dizziness, no restraints, no anything. Soccer could be played without any time limit, there were no need for checkups, medicine, or hospitals. School could be attended, even if it were dull, he could enjoy it with his teammates, classmates, his friends. He was free to do what he pleased.

 _But that freedom could not last forever._

Hearing the news had not visibly upset him. His disease was supposed to have remained, eating away at his body. A cure for it had yet to be discovered. Apparently, he was supposed to be in critical condition. Thats what he was told. Everything he had come to enjoy, it was all nonexistent.

 _He wasn't supposed to be this happy._

Yet, Taiyou smiled anyway, he wouldn't let the others or anyone know of the pain that had coursed through him upon hearing something like that. Although, it had hurt more than expected. What was this pain? Perhaps the original timeline was calling out for him, a sign to prove that those words were true.

 _That he should still be confined to the hospital, that he'll always be._

His decision never faltered, even after learning such news. Taiyou knew what was right; things had to go back to normal even if it meant his life had to go back to 'normal' to. Worried faces looked to him and he didn't like it one bit. So, he smiled, hiding all the pain behind it.

 _"Don't worry about me, okay? Just promise to come and see me at the hospital!"_

That would be his final words to them. He knew that they would keep their promise, they were good people. Tenma, Shindou, even Tsurugi, the others would to. After a time spent like this, he was certain that even in the original timeline that they would be coming to visit him already.

 _But that didn't stop the painful feeling rising in his chest, fear forming from the back of his mind._

As time reset, the blissful feeling had begun to be replaced with agonizing pain. Breathing was difficult, his vision would blur, his stomach felt sick, his body was terribly weak and could hardly even stand. His body ached at every movement. This had felt worse than before. Was his disease supposed to have been this bad? He couldn't remember.

 _Why had he been cursed to a fate like this?_

Taiyou found himself back in the familiar hospital room, in the familiar hospital bed, with the unfamiliar weakening feeling that was coursing through his body. No, it was familiar but had been forgotten. He knew what was meant to be. This was meant to be. A painful and limited life.

 _"Are things really supposed to be this way…?"_

Tears pricked at his eyes as he lie in bed. Hands gripped those well known blankets as blue hues were fixated upon the ceiling. Soft sobs were escaping him. He wouldn't dare to cry loud, if he remembered correctly, Fuyuka would end up worrying over him. He could only recall crying once to her and he never wanted to do so again.

 _He never wanted to let anyone see him cry._

The boy could still remember what it was like to be healthy, to be great, to be alive. It was painful to recall that not too long ago how easy it was to move around, perhaps his body still had lingering feelings of such a time. There was a tingling sensation, maybe he would be okay, maybe he would be cured, maybe he would survive.

 _But that was meant for another timeline, wasn't it?_

A soft sigh left his lips, hands had begun to rub his eyes and wipe off his tear stained cheeks. He would be okay, the pain would leave eventually, both physically and emotionally. All it would take was time.

 _Time that he was hoping he was granted to have._

He would have it. Taiyou would make sure of it. If he were destined to have this illness of his, then he'd do all he could to fight it. When had he become the type to give up? Never. Surely, even in other timelines he was still a fighter, he never was a coward. It didn't suit him.

 _Knowing his fate might have changed his mind on that._

Taiyou would never be able to forget that wonderful feeling and he knew it. He wished that he would have forgotten it. But as that line of thought passed him, he regretted it instantly. Doing so would mean forgetting the time he spent with his friends, something that could not be done with how he was now.

 _It was feeling all like a dream- maybe it had been one?_

If it were, it definitely was a dream he'd like to have again. It was fun. He was happy. There was excitement, adventure, time travel, meeting new people, what more could he want? Maybe if he fell to sleep, that dream would come back to him. He was feeling very tired, but he couldn't tell if it was just normal or from his illness.

 _Then again, being tired from his disease was normal, right?_

Another sigh and a disheartened look displayed on his face. A turn to rest upon his side, curling up on the bed. Sleep came easy, easier than it had in a long while. He'd let his dreams take him elsewhere, there was no pain while he slept, no worries, just endless possibilities. Perhaps he'd feel better when he woke and maybe he'd see a couple of his soccer friends. The thought of that made him smile.

 _"Even if I'm sick, I'll play with them again one day. I have to keep my promise to. We have to meet again on the field and I know we will."_


	14. Our Little Girl

title: Our Little Girl  
characters: Tsurugi Kyousuke, Sorano Aoi, Tsurugi Tsumiki (OC)  
pairings: kyousuke/aoi  
summary: Parents will be parents, they'll talk about their child together and wonder what their future will be like.  
a/n: requested by Shiranai Atsune. sorry if its a bit short, but I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"You know, she does look a lot like you."

Aoi spoke softly as her gaze was focused on the sleeping toddler, just two years old, within the slightly decorated blue crib. A hand brushing through the baby girl's navy blue hair, fingers gentle, making sure not to wake the sleeping child. She knew this would not cause the little one to stir, not in a bad way, an action like this had helped her to fall asleep after all.

The father just gave a soft exhale of his breath, his eyes drifting between his wife and their daughter. His head tilted a little to the side upon hearing her comment. He had to stare at the sleeping child for a moment after that. Had their little girl really taken after him? He found it hard to tell, at least at this age.

Their daughter was a beautiful little thing, a dark hair color similar to her father's, eyes that were a lighter shade of blue, just like her mother's, a cute and round face for a young and growing child, yet very pale. Currently, she was wearing a pink onesie with white stripes, perfect to keep her warm and safe during the night.

"You don't agree?" Aoi spoke again, her eyes glancing over to her husband for a moment.

"I thought she looked more like you. She has your eyes," Kyousuke spoke, wishing he could see the resemblance, but did not wish to try and wake the sleeping child. The last thing he wanted to see or hear were the cries of Tsumiki, their daughter.

"I know, but even your brother thinks she takes after you to."

The woman said softly, pausing for a moment only to bend over the crib in order to place a gentle and soft kiss to Tsumiki's forehead. The young girl did not react to such a thing, she was still resting peacefully even as the two spoke over her. Though, Aoi would believe that a slight curl of the girl's lips, a bit a smile, had shown on her sleeping face.

"Hmm…" It was a soft hum that came from Kyousuke, he could never really argue with his brother. Perhaps he was right about this. Perhaps they both were. Perhaps he was just bad at seeing some sort of resemblance between him and Tsumiki.

The father gave a shrug and put an arm around Aoi's waist, gently pulling her close to his side while gazing down at their sleeping baby. Kyousuke gave her a gentle kiss to her forehead, just as she had done with their child, he had done the same to her.

"Think she'll turn out like you then?" He asked, resting his head against hers.

Aoi went quiet for a moment, unsure of how to answer that. It was difficult to tell who she would take after or if she would be completely different from the two of them. Not that she minded of course, no matter what, she would always love their daughter. "I don't know…but if she turns out like you, I hope that we'll still be able to get to see her smile."

They both knew that Kyousuke did not always look the happiest nor did he show it often. It had taken him a long time to do so after they had gotten together years ago. But, Aoi was patient and relished in every moment that she witnessed that precious smile form on his face. And when he had gotten more comfortable, having that smile appear a little more as time went on, her own smile had seemed to brighten up as well.

"Oh, I bet she'll have a smile like yours!" Aoi said in an excited whisper. She had to be wary of her voice, careful not to speak to loudly.

Kyousuke gave a slight chuckle to her little show of happiness over this guess. It was cute, too cute. "Maybe. But she'll definitely be as cute as you."

Aoi smiled to his response, her arms wrapping around her husband and giving him a loving embrace. "Tsumiki will grow to be a beautiful girl," she stated as a fact.

In response, Kyousuke gave a slight nod. He to had no doubt in his heart that she would grow to be a beautiful woman. Just as beautiful as his wife.

The two remained by each other's side, eyes now both on their little girl, watching her sleep for a moment. They just wanted to make sure she would be alright, have no problems for the night. While they were not new to the parenting business, they were still gaining experience. And one thing that they had learned was to linger for a moment to make sure their child was peaceful in their slumber.

"We should sleep to." It was Kyousuke that spoke up after so many moments had passed. As much as they would like to watch over their daughter, even they had to sleep. Of course, they would be near their little girl, there was nothing to worry about.

"Yes…lets get some rest," Aoi responded, "We'll have to be ready to take care of her when she wakes. I hope you're ready for that."

"Of course I am. I always will be."

The couple looked to each other, both smiling at each other and sharing a quick kiss. A last glance to Tsumiki was given before they slowly and quietly began to make their way out of their daughter's room, trying not to accidentally step over a certain creaky board. Luckily, they managed to get out without causing that little problem.

Outside the room, another kiss was shared, so was an embrace. It was a little more passionate than the one shared within the child's room, but did not last for long. As they broke apart, the two had walked off to their bedroom, just across of Tsumiki's. For now, they would get ready to sleep, both eager to wake and see their daughter full of energy in the morning, as well as seeing each other to.


	15. Troublesome and Oblivious 2

title: Troublesome and Oblivious 2  
characters: delinquent!Kazemaru, super innocent!Endou  
summary: Endou is missing and Kazemaru intends to find the boy who is making him feel so strange.

* * *

It had been a couple of days since Kazemaru had last seen that foolish brunette who called him a friend. He still had not gotten the other boy to fear him, hate him, anything _but_ like him. Then again, the long teal haired gang leader just could not find it in himself to do any harm to the boy. Okay, he could push him around, some light bullying, but he knew that never really worked on Endou. That boy always managed to be happy and smiling afterwards.

To make matter worse, he had this strange feeling in his chest every time that boy looked his way. It agitated him every time he felt his heart rate begin to quicken, every time he actually _enjoyed_ seeing Endou smile, every time he was called a friend. He did not like this strange and foreign feeling, not one bit. Whenever he had become aware of such feeling, he usually ended up channeling that into some form of anger, refusing to think or even accept what it may be.

"Agh! I hate that stupid kid!" The leader shouted while punching a wall within the Dark Emperors hideout. The walls of this hideout were not the best, but they could manage to withstand a hit like that; a dent would be left behind from this spark of anger. Although, that would not be the first due to one of the members angry outbursts, but the first to be left by their leader.

The sudden outburst had caused the other members to flinch, while they were aware of who Kazemaru was talking about, they never brought it up to him in a serious light. Normally there were teasing comments from the more brave (or rather fearless and stupid) ones of the group, but nothing more than that. They didn't dare to ask about his personal attraction nor did they truly think that someone like their powerful leader would actually have feelings for someone.

"Is it the orange headband again?" Matsuno asked, seeing as no one else would. If someone had to break the silence, he was the one to do it.

Kazemaru took a moment, attempting to calm himself down. While he was quick to anger and never tried to hide it, he wanted to remain stable amongst his gang. A leader had to be able to take control of the situation and not let anything rush to his head.

"Of course its him. Who else would it be?" The leader snapped. "That idiot…next time I'll-"

"You'll smother him with one of your hugs, won't you?"

Kazemaru turned and glared at the source who dared to tease him right now. Handa, the one who had spoke just smirked as he sat back against the wall. That brunette looked pretty proud of himself for stating something like that.

"You know I won't do something as stupid as that, _Handa_."

"But you want to, don't you?" Kurimatsu joined in with the teasing. "I bet you wish he would hug you soooo much! You always look like you're the happiest baddie when he does something like that after all."

"Yeah! The look on your face as you try to hide it is absolutely priceless!"

"Maybe he should make a kissy face to him while hugging that little energetic loser!"

"Oh, Endou, please just embrace me, kiss me~."

The two chuckled as they imagined Kazemaru and Endou hugging and kissing, showing any kind of affection towards each other, truly it was a funny thought. To them at least. But to a few others, they were not.

"Oi, shut the fuck up, will you?" Someoka shouted and glared at the two. That had gotten them to quiet down. "Leave the boss alone, alright? Cuz you know," He paused to crack his knuckles with a grin, "I'd be more than happy to teach you a lesson."

"Stop it. All of you," Kazemaru said sternly, catching the attention of every member, even the ones that had not participated in this mess. "I don't want to hear anything more from you. And if you're going to fight, you might as well do it elsewhere."

The leader waited for a moment, eyeing those three that had spoken, mainly the two that had poked fun at him to see if they'd speak up again. When there was only a 'tch' as response and annoyed looks at him, he let out a sigh.

"I'm leaving for the day. Do what you want."

After saying that, Kazemaru did just that, storm out of their hideout and leave everything to them for the rest of the evening. They were all strong delinquent like him and did not need to be taken cared of. Besides, that happy go lucky brunette was still on his mind and he wanted to think about him without the worry of getting taunted at by others.

Aside from that idiot invading his thoughts, he dared to think that he was actually worried about the other. That brunette would tell the gang leader practically everything and anything that was on his mind. And if he wasn't going to show up or even speak with him for a couple of days, he would have informed Kazemaru.

"So, why hasn't he told me anything?" He mumbled to himself. Then paused and shook his head. No, he was not going to let himself dare believe that he was worried. But of course, that could only last for so long.

…

A week had gone by and Kazemaru could no longer admit that he was worried about Endou. The other had not met up with him, nor had he even seen him around the town. Was that idiot avoiding him? On vacation? No. He was certain if he was during this break, that kid would have talked to him, told him he was leaving for such a long time. There was no way he would just completely disappear from his life.

He had given orders for his gang to keep a look out for him, find him by all means necessary. Did he care for methods? No. All he wanted for them was to find that stupid idiot and have him brought to him immediately. There were so many things he had to ask that stupid boy. Interrogate him, just find out why the hell he was not by his side all this time! God, he couldn't wait to get his hands on that other boy and-

No. He was not going to be happy or relieved to see him. That silly kid had caused him enough stress as is. Especially with his sudden disappearance. Just what the hell had happened to him? It racked at his mind, and he really hated the fact that he was worrying over him so damn much.

Kazemaru sighed, pacing back and forth as he tried to think where else that boy could be. He did have a fondness for soccer, yet he was not found at any of the current fields. He hadn't been seen there either for a while. While thinking about said sport and field, the gang leader found himself walking by the one that Endou had always led him to. Apparently the over energetic male had a liking of a certain soccer field by a riverbank and managed to drag the delinquent here many, many times.

He could never find the whole joy or excitement like the other did from just being here. Or just from thinking about the sport. As much as he tried to convert the delinquent to get into the sport, he had never even managed to get him to even kick the ball. Perhaps when he found him, he'd have a change of heart. Or maybe he'd just kick the ball in frustration.

"Hey, hey, have you seen the headband guy?"

Kazemaru turned as he heard a young female voice, finding a little girl speaking with another kid around her age. A soccer ball in her grasp, the two were wearing some uniform, probably for that sport.

"No, he hasn't been here all week…"

The girl sighed upon that answer. "Aww, I miss him. Do you think he's sick?"

"He doesn't look the type to get sick. I bet he'd just punch a cold away or something!"

"Maybe we should visit him. I heard he lives nearby."

"Eh? Thats a little weird, don't you think? Visit him outta the blue?"

"But I want him to help us practice soccer..."

The leader drowned out the rest of the conversation as an idea sparked into his mind. Of all the places Endou would be, he would have to return home sooner or later. Why hadn't he thought of that before! Perhaps that brunette's stupidity was rubbing off on him. But at least now he knew where to look for the other. And he dared not to even think of that stupid smile that was forming on his face from such information.

…

Kazemaru was standing outside of Endou Mamoru's bedroom door. He found himself nervous; never had he been to this boy's home before. Atsuko, the boy's mother, had been quite happy to see a so called friend appear and be worried over her son. The delinquent was surprised to see that she was not eager to kick him out. Although he did think that he caught some hesitance in her gaze, it didn't really stop him from continuing on in. Though, he had to wonder if she knew who he was, what that boy had told her about him, if he ever did. A part of him hope that her son would always speak of him while another part hoped that he never did at all.

Atsuko had told the gang leader that Mamoru was in his room, not mentioning more about his current condition. Kazemaru hadn't asked, he was eager to see him and find out for himself why he had been confined to the house more than usual. He had been told to knock upon the boy's door to signal that he was entering, but when had he ever listened to a request like that?

"Endou!" Kazemaru stated the boy's name loudly as he pushed open the door and stepping inside.

"Ah! Kazemaru!" Endou sounded surprised to see the other appear so suddenly. He really wasn't expecting any visitors, especially since he hadn't asked anyone to come.

The gang leader immediately looked to the brunette sitting on his bed, his narrowing eyes widening to the sight. The other boy was currently shirtless, only having a pair of sweatpants and that orange headband of his on his body. His revealed upper body had shown some dark purple patches of skin, bruises. Possible a fading one on his cheek to, it was difficult to tell from the entryway. A towel that had held a pack of ice was sitting on Endou's lap. Had he been treating himself this whole time?

"Oh, sorry, Kazemaru. I'll put on a shirt, just give me a moment," Endou said as he was about to get off his bed.

"No, stay there," the teal haired boy commanded. This caused the brunette to look at him with wide eyes, not understanding why he would say something like that in such a tone. But, he listened, especially since moving around would cause some pain due to his noticeable injuries.

Kazemaru walked up to Endou, standing right in front of him and looking at those bruises that covered his body. His eyes were examining them, trying to figure out what had happened, how a bruise like this or that had formed. Someone who gave out many of these should be aware of how they were given, right?

"K-Kazemaru…" Endou spoke up after a while, his hands covering his chest. As the gang leader's vision of his bruises was hidden now, he looked to Endou's face, only to find the boy blushing a deep red. Which seemed a bit contagious as it his face began to heat up to a sight like that. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"I-Its nothing!" Kazemaru quickly stammered while crossing his arms and looking away from the other. "I was curious about your injuries, thats all. Don't think any more of it, alright, dumbass?" He growled, trying to be more menacing while calming that blush down. He wasn't expecting himself to get heated up already from finally seeing this boy.

Endou smiled, registering the fact that he was worried about him. He had come to understand the delinquent's special 'language' after spending a lot of time with him. While he really couldn't understand the threatening bits, he could understand things like this. "Its okay, I'm alright now. They're not as bad as they were a few days ago." He said, while getting the ice covered in the towel and placing it on one of the fresher bruises, hissing a little to the cold touch.

"A few days ago…" Kazemaru repeated under his breath as he looked back to Endou. "Is this why you didn't come to see me? What the hell happened to you?"

Endou went quiet for a moment, his grip on the towel tightening a bit. For once, he didn't seem so cheerful and happy. It pained Kazemaru's heart to see something like this, which was a surprising thought considering his initial goal.

"I was playing around with one of the younger soccer teams after I said bye to you. We were having loads of fun until it got late. I made sure the kids were picked up by their parents before heading home…but when I was making my way back, some people around my age surprised me. They asked for money, I said no since I really didn't have any, and, well…" He didn't feel the need to go on, just pointing at a bruise as it to tell him what had happened. "I tried to avoid them again, but they found me and did the same thing. I don't know why they keep doing that, I thought they wouldn't mind talking or playing soccer with me, but I guess not…"

Kazemaru had clenched his fists upon hearing that. For some reason, he was disgusted to hear a group of bullies were pushing Endou around. No one was allowed to touch him, he had made sure of that within the school grounds but he supposed outside of it, having control over something like that was much more difficult.

"Who was it? Tell me who it was. I'll make those fucking bastards pay." There was no use in hiding his anger. If he tried to, it would just explode moments later.

"Kazemaru…" Endou frowned, not liking the tone of his voice nor hearing that cuss word.

"Endou, don't give me some crap about I shouldn't go and kick their ass. I will. It'll stop them from going after you. I don't want them to hurt you any more."

Endou blinked as he heard those words. It was rare for him to say something outright like this, something that would be nice for the delinquent's standards. It caused the brunette to smile though. The other really did care about him.

"I want to go with you then. I don't want you to hurt them." The brunette had hopes that if he were to accompany him, then no fight would break out. It might be a stretch, but he could hope for the best. He disliked fights, even if it were to protect him in a way.

"I just told you that I am! They hurt you and I'm going to hurt them in return!" Kazemaru shouted, about to go on more until he felt a hand grip onto his wrist. It was a gentle hold from a rough hand. The teal haired boy was...stunned to feel his touch.

"Please, Kazemaru. If you just tell them to stop, I'll be okay with that." Endou smiled, even through this conversation. "I don't want you to get hurt either."

Kazemaru's heart began to race upon hearing that. The other had truly cared for his well being to. Getting into fights was something so common to him, but he was usual the victor, the one with the least injuries. Endou had fussed about it before, but here was doing it again even before he could go and pick a fight with those bullies who did this to him.

The leader had opened his mouth, intending to tell him he would still go through with this, but...seeing the other's expression...he couldn't. "Fine." He let out an exasperated sigh. Endou had won this one. "But after we speak to them and they hurt you again, they're dead."

"I hope you don't really mean that, but...okay!" Endou smiled grateful that he had accepted that suggestion. "Anyway, while you're here then you should stay for dinner!" The brunette chimed, quick to change the subject unintentionally, but his excitement and joy to seeing his friend here had really distracted him now.

"What? No, I only came here to see you!" Kazemaru quickly defended, though blushed as he realized what he had said. "I mean, I'm not going to stay!"

"Please, Kazemaru! You never come over and it'll be fun and we can talk and play together here to!"

Kazemaru sighed, he didn't seem like he could win this one either. "If you put a shirt on, then I'll stay."

Endou gave a happy little cheer to that agreement and quickly stood up from his bed to rush and put a shirt on. He didn't want the other boy to change his mind and go. Although it hurt a little to move so fast, he was fine overall. With his shirt on now, the brunette went over to Kazemaru's side and took a hold of the other boy's hand.

"Thanks for coming over to see me, Kazemaru. You really are a good friend."


	16. An Otherworldly Visit

title: An Otherworldly Visit  
characters: Kariya Masaki, Burn, Gazel, Desarm, Gran/Hiroto, Reize/Midorikawa, Kira Hitomiko  
summary: Kariya never expected to meet with people who appeared out of thin air and called themselves aliens.  
a/n: Inspired by a comic that I saw that sort of involved this meeting and one of the extra scenes in the Chrono Stone games.

* * *

Kariya Masaki, an eleven year old that recently been left at Sun Garden. He had been there for only a couple of months and had not spoken to any of the other children. Its not like he wanted to anyway, he didn't trust them. A couple had come up to try and get him to speak, but he refused to acknowledge those that did. They would only use him, he didn't know how exactly, but he believed that they would just toss him aside or make a fool out of him.

Hitomiko had gave some gentle urges to try and get the child to open up, but the only person he'd really talk to was her. When pushed towards another child, even around his age, there would be no response from him. He simply did not wish to speak to others. It worried the woman greatly, she knew how hard it was to be left here, after years of looking after the place and seeing the many children be left here, she knew that she could only do so much. Though when she had managed to find him playing soccer and enjoying it, she believed that there would be hope for him. The woman was already having a place in mind for his future, if he remained at the orphanage for that long anyway.

Since she could only look after so many children at Sun Garden, she decided to leave him be, though occasionally speak to him about soccer and tell him of her brother, Hiroto, as well as Midorikawa. Occasionally others who were involved with the soccer teams formed from this orphanage would pop up to (but she made sure not to touch the whole alien thing). Hitomiko found that doing so Kariya was really eager to open up. She could only wish that there were other children within the orphanage who were willing to play the sport or at least had some interest in it.

For Kariya, he found today would be no different, it would be another ordinary day were he would keep to himself and practice soccer on the field, alone. He didn't mind it, not too much. Although, there was only so much that one person could do for a sport like soccer. The young orphan wished to have at least one person play with him, but he couldn't trust anyone to do such a thing. They'd probably laugh at him if he made a mistake or would try to get him to do something silly. He didn't need to hear stupid words like that. So, he just continued to play alone, practice his control and balancing skills until he had to be called back to Sun Garden.

And while this day had been just like any other, something strange happened. Something very, very strange and unbelievable.

As Kariya was practicing on the field, there was a sudden flashing light that appeared from across his position on the field. It was so sudden and blinding, it had caught the boy off guard and even frightened him. After the light had flashed and faded, five humans seemed to form into existence. In the center was a calm looking red head, to his left a scary looking greenette who's hair was shaped like ice cream (the boy dared not say anything about that out loud though), to his right a thin, angry looking black haired male with arms crossed. To the green haired's left was another red head, though this one had his hair like a…tulip? It was a weird hairstyle, almost as weird as the pulled back green cone style. And finally to the tall, thin male's other side was a silver haired…male? It was hard to tell since this guy looked pretty enough to be a girl to.

The little boy took a step back, hands gripping at the soccer ball and holding it in front of him. It was as if this ball would protect him, be used as a sort of shield from these strangers. These very weird strangers.

"Hmph. It seems we made it in perfect condition." The one in the center spoke as he glanced around to examine the other four who arrived with him. There didn't seem to be any loud bits of pain, which was a good sign.

"But of course. Our technology is far superior than earthling technology. They have yet to master time and space." This time it was the greenette that spoke.

"Hmph. Don't start kissing up to 'master' Gran already, Reize." The silver haired one spat. "We have a mission to get to."

"Wow, already no fun at all, huh?" The tulip haired one spoke, hands on hips as he walked over to the silver haired boy. "You really are sounding like Gran when Father tells him to do something super 'important'."

"Burn, Gazel, you know that it is not wise to start bickering so soon or at all." The tallest one said after clearing his throat. "But, Gazel is correct. We were sent here to do our mission and we do not have much time to do so."

Tulip huffed and looked deeply annoyed. Silver looked proud to hear the taller side with him. Meanwhile the other red head and greeny just seemed to be annoyed by their little fight.

The five of them spoke amongst themselves, trying to get their mission or whatever they were here to do right and not argue amongst themselves. Although a certain duo seemed to be more than eager to pick a fight, nothing to violent broke out thanks to the other three stopping their heated behavior. While doing that, they had yet to notice Kariya, at least he was hoping they hadn't. After a moment of just staring at them and trying to decide who these freaks were, he just decided to go. He was certain that he just might have heard Hitomiko calling for him, yeah, definitely…

"Not so fast, human."

Kariya paused, freezing right on point after taking a couple of steps. The voice came from that center one, the one known as Gran and possibly the leader. He really couldn't tell. The most he could do was try to get their names to their faces, just in case he needed to speak about them at some point. But, since that voice was raised and when the young human turned his head, they were all looking straight at Kariya. There was no way he could just disappear now.

"Uhh…" He wasn't sure how to respond, but he definitely did not want to stick around now that he had caught their attention.

"Yes, we are speaking to you. You are the only human within the area, or have you not noticed?" Reize spoke up. "You have witnessed our arrival and we want you to listen to what we have to say."

"Although it would be best to tell more humans of our arrival, one can spread the news rather quickly," Desarm commented. "Besides, he might tell those who will be willing to give us a nice challenge, by human standards."

"Cease your additional commentary," Gran spoke, putting an arm out to the others before walking towards the human. "We come from a world not of this one. A world from beyond your stars."

Kariya took a step back, seeming ready to run as this weirdo approached. And he was intending to as he took another step back, though ended up bumping into a pair of bodies. He turned his body to see who had cut off his escape route, only to find those two bickering ones, Burn and Gazel, to be blocking his path. They both smirked down at the younger, causing him to gulp in fear. And when he turned back to see Gran approaching, he was already standing in front of him; the three seemed to be trapping Kariya. There would be no escape from these guys.

"Sorry, little human, no running away from us," Gran said with a grin. "Not until we had a word with you and make it certain that you will spread the name of Aliea Academy."

"Aliea…Academy…?" Kariya repeated. He had never heard of any school or academy by that name. Now that he had he was certain not to ever forget it. And also connect it back to these weirdos.

"Yes, Aliea Academy." Gran repeated before giving a short speech about how they were from another planet and had come here in order to prove their strength through soccer, how they would destroy all those schools and teams that failed against them. In short, they'd be the strongest soccer players of this planet, the only ones to. Earth would be theirs.

Kariya let out a whimper as he heard that. All he wanted to do was have fun and play soccer, but now it didn't seem like he could enjoy the sport if these aliens were here to destroy it. He looked down to the ball in his hands, his grip tightening around it. Could he do anything about this? Anything at all? He was just a kid, an abandoned one at that. There wasn't much he could do. He hadn't even practiced playing this sport with other people so he didn't even dare to think he could be some kind of hero in this position.

"I think I may have another proposition for you, human…" Gran spoke softly, that commanding tone of his seeming to fade just for a moment. As Kariya looked back up to him, he continued, "If you decide to join us, perhaps we'll let you survive."

"Gran? What are you suggesting?" Desarm asked, looking curiously over to him. "If its what I think this is..."

"You're not supposed to do something like this, only father has the power to offer it." Gazel growled.

"If you're going to go around giving that to stupid humans, then you have no right to be captain of Genesis!" Burn added.

"Silence! Father is not here, he left me in charge of this mission and I will do as I see fit." Gran stated, waiting for the others to fall silent again before looking back down to Kariya. "This is not an offer to any humans, but to you and only you, it shall be one."

The human looked confused, more confused than he was already. He had no clue what the aliens had been talking about and now he had no clue what he was going to be offering to him. But, that didn't last long. Out of some…pocket in his uniform, Gran pulled out a necklace, the charm pulling it down was some sort of purple crystal looking thing. Though, as it was revealed, Kariya began to feel some sort of energy oozing from it. It was a weird sort of energy and it caused the human to shake. Meanwhile, the other aliens around Gran seemed to cast their gaze upon the rock once it was pulled into light. There was something about it that managed to capture even their attention.

"If you take this, you will become as strong as us. We noted that you were playing soccer prior to our arrival. A lone human with such…potential may prove to be useful."

"Potential? This kid? I bet he wouldn't even last in a snowstorm!"

"Tch. I bet he wouldn't even make it out of a volcano!"

"It is as Gran says, so we cannot argue against him. Even if it is against your personal decision, what he says goes." This time, it was Reize to speak up. The two opposing elementals gave a surprised look to him. It wasn't everyday he spoke up against the others. Truly, a rare sight. And for a second, that Desarm alien looked a little proud to hear him speak up before going back to his normal gaze.

"Thank you, Reize. As I was saying…" Gran cleared his throat, holding out the purple and power pulsating necklace to the human. "You can be spared as long as you take this and align with us. We will show them a new type of human with you."

Kariya looked to the purple crystal for a moment, then his eyes glanced around to each of the aliens that were standing around him. He could take the easy way out, take this offer and become some…who knows what, some alien human hybrid, but he would be spared. Or he could say no and possibly…well, he figured they were either going to torture him or hold him captive at this point. He wanted someone to tell him what to do. Hitomiko would know what to do, wouldn't she? But, since she wasn't around, no one was, he went with his gut. These guys were still strangers, he couldn't trust them either way. And even if he was scared of these aliens and what they could do to him, he did not want to be apart of their silly little group.

A hand was raised, seeming to reach out and take the necklace. This caused Gran to grin, of course the little human would want to survive and have power. So predictable. But, Kariya had caught them all off guard when he had slapped the necklace away, causing it to fly off to the side and land upon the grass. The human looked to Gran, a glare that was mixed with fear and wariness.

"I'm not going to accept something from you…aliens. I don't want any of your stupid power! If you plan on facing humans against us with your power, then we'll use our own against it. You claim to be really strong, but humans are to! And using that…thing is like cheating! Using that wouldn't mean anything even if you won using that stupid rock! You can take your offer and use it on some other human who is actually dumb enough to accept it." The boy was surprised he had spoken so much. He had just been rambling on really; perhaps watching a lot of (sci-fi) movies had paid off for something like this.

The aliens were all pretty surprised to hear something like that come from the boy's mouth. He had been quiet all this time and now when he was given the change to speak, he really had. And while surprise was clear on their face, minus Desarm who look fairly interested in the boy now (he thought this kid would be able to give him a real challenge if trained properly), Gran smirked upon hearing such a response.

"Hmph. Humans can prove to be very interesting, can't they?" He mused in a thoughtful tone. After a moment, he let out a chuckle and snapped his fingers. The aliens that were surrounding Kariya had spread out, allowing room for the human; he was no longer trapped by them.

"You may go. Although if you ever change your mind, the offer stands, as I said, only to you." Gran stated. "I suggest hurrying along before one of us decides to kick a soccer ball at you. And a little human like you would not survive a kick like ours."

The teal haired boy hesitated for a moment. Of course he didn't want to stay, but he wasn't so sure that this chance of his to go was real or not. What if they were going to play with him? A game of cat and mouse? He just bit his lower lip before holding his breath and dashing off. He could hear them chatter amongst themselves, a couple of angry voices and stern ones as he departed from them. Whatever their conversation was about, which he assumed was him, he just drowned it all out.

"Aliens are really weird…"

…

"Kariya, I'd like to introduce you to Hiroto and Midorikawa. They managed to find some time to come and see and speak with you about soccer," Hitomiko said, lightly patting the boy's back to reassure him that these two weren't complete strangers in his life.

Hiroto gave a warm smile to the young orphan. "Hello, Kariya. We've heard a lot about you and your soccer skills. Although we're busy with other duties, I'm sure we can help you out every now and then."

"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to come to either one of us. Although, Hitomiko is good to go to as well. Her coaching skills are phenomenal," Midorikawa added, a warm smile on his face to.

Kariya just blinked up at the two. He was very excited to hear that he was finally going to meet the two, but the moment his eyes landed on the two, his excitement seemed to disappear for a second as he recalled...something. An odd memory from a few months ago. Although he had been dying to ask them about soccer, a very different question had escaped from his lips.

"Do you know a Gran and a Reize?"

And he could have sworn that the two businessmen had paled upon hearing that question, even through their (now forced) smiles. They looked to Hitomiko for a reason behind a question like this, but she was just as surprised as they were to hear that question, though not as affected as they were. Meanwhile, the little boy just looked confused to their reactions, but he was still hoping to get an answer from them.


	17. Snowball

title: Snowball  
characters: Afuro Terumi, Fubuki Shirou  
pairings: aphrodi/fubuki  
summary: Sometimes Fubuki is known for having mischievous little moments. This is one of them.  
a/n: done for a meme on tumblr which was basically send me a pairing & a number/sentence & I'll write a drabble for it

* * *

It was supposed to be a nice stroll around Hokkaido. A nice walk around the white and snowy landscape. A time when a couple, if so desired, could appreciate the calmness of the weather and the peaceful, quiet atmosphere.

But not all dates go according to plan.

Aphrodi had continued walking ahead, thanks to Fubuki he had grown accustomed to walking in the snow, even the thicker layers of the white bedding. At times, he still had a trouble, unlike the other he wasn't a master of this technique. He had turned his head to the side, wanting to initiate a false plea of assistant as an excuse to walk literally beside the other and expecting to see the silver haired boy by his side with that cute little smile that was usually displayed upon his face. Yet, he found that Fubuki was not by his side, in fact, as he turned his body a bit, the blonde caught the other boy a bit further behind. He had stopped walking by Aphrodi's side not too long ago.

"Fubuki?"

"Hmm?"

"Fubuki…"

The blonde gave a sigh as he noticed the look on Fubuki's face. While it seemed like a sweet and innocent smile, Aphrodi knew it was anything but that. He knew behind a look like that was a mischievous aura, one that was just itching to put his little plan in motion, whatever that plan may be. He couldn't guess what it would be, it was difficult to find these rare moments when the silverette showed some sort of devious behavior (perhaps a bit of his brother's personality poked out every now and then to cause something like this).

Dark maroon eyes drifted from the boy's face to his hands, finding a white ball in Fubuki's grasp. It took him only a second for this all to click together. As both came to the realization, Aphrodi gave a stern look while Fubuki's grin just seemed to widen.

"Don't you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!"

Aphrodi didn't even have time to finish his sentence nor even react as he was pelt with the snowball. It had hit him right in the face, all of the snow just exploding and covering his beautiful features now. The blonde let out an exasperated sigh, carefully and gracefully wiping the snow from his face.

Meanwhile, all he could hear from Fubuki was a growing laugh. It had started off as a quiet chuckle but ended up being louder with a joyous tone. The snowy boy couldn't help it; catching Aphrodi off guard like this was rare and he was usually the only one to do it to him to.

"I'm sorry, Aphrodi. I just couldn't resist."

The blonde huffed as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to get rid of any snow remnants that might be sticking to him. Thankfully this was snow and not gum or any sort of sticky substance.

"You just had to that today, huh?"

Of course this god of beauty had taken the time to make himself look absolutely presentable. It was just natural to him to worry about his appearance and being hit with snow had worried him that he might end up going cold which would lead to shivering and a red face. How could he let the world see him with red cheeks? No, only the other boy was allowed to.

"You're not angry, are you?"

Fubuki asked, looking a little worried as the other seemed very displeased. But as he saw the blonde begin to pout, he knew all was well.

"You know you can't anger a god like me, but…" Aphrodi looked to him with a smirk forming from that pout. Now he was looking like the devious one. "I think I'm going to have to get back at you for that, my little snow angel."

"Oh? I hope you know this is my element, not yours."

"It still won't hurt to try."

The two flashed a smile at each other, it was a short moment of peace between them before a snowball war had taken place.


	18. Glasses

title: Glasses  
characters: Kiyama Hiroto, Midorikawa Ryuuji  
pairings: hiroto/ryuuji  
summary: Hiroto needs glasses and he's worried on how Midorikawa will take in his new look.

* * *

His sight went from being nothing but unfocused blurs to a clear, focused, and familiar world within the blink of an eye. Of course, it did not take just that action to cure his eyesight. A pair of glasses were settled upon the red head's face, the frame sitting on his nose while the longer sides were resting on his ears. Teal eyes shifted from behind, looking everywhere, experiencing this unclouded vision once again. Taking in this sight, it was almost as if it were his first time seeing everything, the details of the world were clear to him once again. He was worry free now, well, he thought he was for the moment.

While Hiroto did not have to worry about his eyesight anymore, he did have to worry about one other thing: being teased. Oh, he knew how teenagers his age were quick to point out a change in appearance and make fun of it, especially if it were something along the lines of braces or in his case, glasses.

And he definitely knew a certain couple that would enjoy calling him 'four-eyes' or asking silly questions like 'how many fingers am I holding up?'. He could practically hear their jovial teasing voices in his head now. Even though they were all friends, Nagumo and Suzuno were still in some sort of rivalry, not just with each other but with Hiroto as well. The two could never just drop that from their Aliea days, but Hiroto never really minded it too much. It was fun to play along with them and he was glad that they never really did give him too much special treatment for being the favorite.

And yet, he found himself not too troubled to be around those two with these helpful lenses resting on his face. No, he was more worried about what a certain green haired male would think. Midorikawa was definitely not one to tease others, the poor boy could barely even muster up the courage to insult someone. And its not like he had the heart to do that in the first place either (not including his past as Reize as that was a completely different story). Even so, he was worried that his boyfriend might not like this change in appearance so much. He really couldn't figure out why, he was nothing like their other friends.

Hiroto had informed the other that he was indeed in need of this eyewear and Midorikawa had gotten worried and fussed over the red head upon hearing that information. He had stated that he would be his eyes until he could see again, it was definitely a nice offer as it was said with such genuine sincerity, but Hiroto had reassured him that he would be fine. If anything, Midorikawa seemed to be the one more eager for the arrival of Hiroto's glasses. He wouldn't have to worry about the other bumping into stuff or having problems reading or anything else that crossed his worried mind. What the greenette really worried about was Hiroto being able to see, it was nearly hard to believe that someone as perfect as Hiroto had failing eyesight and even needed such frames in the first place.

The red head raised a hand to slide the glasses off him, his vision instantly going blurry upon their removal. Eyes blinked and he tried to focus upon the frames in his grasp. He knew that he was stupid for worrying over what Midorikawa would think. Maybe he'd find them cute? Maybe he could get a matching pair? Not that the other needed them, but it would definitely be a cute couple accessory to match. To the thought of that, the red head smiled, even gave a light chuckle.

"I really am silly," Hiroto breathed as he set the frames back on, letting his sight be clear once again. He knew that he couldn't stay in his room forever, plus if he did, he knew that Midorikawa would end up finding him one way or another. Waiting was only going to prolong the inevitable. And he was certain if he told that to his boyfriend right now, he'd be able to throw in one of his many quotes and proverbs about waiting.

…

Hiroto held his breath while waiting outside of Midorikawa's room. He still found himself terribly nervous over revealing his slightly altered yet permanent appearance to the other. He let out a sigh, letting his shoulders relax along with the rest of his body. There was no reason to be so tense, it was just his negative thoughts getting to the best of him.

"Ryuuji?" Hiroto called out his name while a gentle fist knocked upon his door.

"Coming!" It was a muffled response and Hiroto was certain the other had said his name to, but thats all he had heard come from behind the door. Plus a bit of moving things around, footsteps inching towards the door, the door unlocking and swinging open.

His vision had gone dark in a flash. As if upon instinct, Hiroto had shut his eyes the second he saw the door open. Listening, he could only hear Midorikawa gasp. Was it a good or a bad gasp? Hiroto couldn't tell considering he wasn't able to see the expression on his face.

Though if Hiroto were to open his eyes, he would see a quite worried one, with a bit of confusion. That didn't really last on Midorikawa's face, he was glad the other had gotten his glasses, finding that they really did suit him and even make him look a little bit older, mature to. What he was worried about was the reason as to why Hiroto's eyes were closed.

The greenette raised his hands, gently placing them on each of Hiroto's cheeks."What are you doing, Hiroto?" Midorikawa asked. "You finally got your glasses to see and now you're keeping your eyes shut?"

Hiroto couldn't help but relax again to the touch of Midorikawa's hands. They were so delicate, warm, gentle whenever they had touched his body. It was impossible for the red head to be so tense knowing that a comforting hand was there for him.

Slowly, he let his eyes flutter open. They widened as he could clearly see the greenette now, no more blurry looking features, no more squinting and getting super close to him in order to try and see his face, now he was just as he had seen him prior to having this eyesight problem.

"You're so beautiful. I'm glad I can see your shining, radiant features like this again."

Midorikawa's face heated up to that unexpected praise. Oh, he was happy to hear it, very happy. It had been a while since he had heard a compliment like that from the other. Since his eyesight had started to go bad, or blurry, Hiroto had yet to say anything like that. Midorikawa could only guess that he didn't want to make something up like calling him a beautiful green blur.

"I-I'm glad you can see me- I mean see again in general," Midorikawa stated while his eyes were locked onto those behind the lenses. "You know these glasses really do make you look dashing. Not that you weren't dashing before, but you know what I mean."

Hiroto smiled, mentally slapping himself over his earlier worries. He really had nothing to worry about, though hearing Midorikawa's compliment had really put his mind and heart into a state of ease.

"I know. But now that I can see you again...I think we should have some privacy. You know, its been a while since I've been able to see _all_ of you clearly."

Again, the greenette blushed to that, probably more than before as he saw the look in Hiroto's eyes and that cheeky grin on his face. "D-Don't say that so loud, Hiroto!"

Hiroto gave a chuckle, pressing his lips against Midorikawa's cheeks. Oh how he missed seeing that cute and flustered expression on his face. And he couldn't wait to see the other expressions to.


	19. Tears

title: Tears  
characters: Alpha, Fei Rune  
pairings: alpha/fei  
summary: Alpha finds Fei crying and tries to comfort him.

* * *

There was a very, very odd noise emitting from the young green haired male. It was a mixture of small gasps, hiccups, quick and uneven breathing. The sound was unfamiliar, these mixture of noises didn't even seem like they could possibly mix together to create this worrisome constant sound. To make matters worse, his body was shaking, probably due to his odd breathing patterns, that was what Alpha could guess anyway. Then there were his eyes. Normally bright and ones full of joy were now stained with a bit of redness, tears streaming down pink cheeks. Very unnatural for a boy like him.

Fei had tried to hide the tears, wiping them away as quickly as possible and trying to calm his breathing the moment Alpha had stepped foot into his room. There was really no use, trying to hide his emotions in the blink of an eye, he simply could not do something like that. Especially when he had let them overflow during this moment of solitude, or what had been a moment to himself. He mentally cursed at himself for not locking the door to.

The crying boy could only look at Alpha for a moment before turning his head away. He brought his legs up to hold against his body while he was sitting on his bed. God, he did not want the other to see him like this. He wasn't supposed to be found crying in his room alone, he was supposed to be happy, have a smile on his face and ready to tease Alpha about not having one of his own. Yet, here he was, sniveling and looking like a mess.

"Fei?" Alpha finally spoke up after a moment of staring at the other. For all Fei knew, the other had probably been trying to analyze the situation, figure out why the hell he was crying and what he could do to fix this situation. And he was right on the mark; Alpha had been trying to think of a reason as to why Fei would be crying so much as he was. But, he was also very confused to the action.

Its not like he had hadn't witnessed others cry before, of course he had. But witnessing Fei, someone that was very important to him, cry like this, he was unsure of what to do, unsure of how to react. The time agent wanted the other to be his usual happy self again, but had no clue how to do that. While that was his problem most of the time, he could usually do something like hold the other boy's hand or give a (somewhat clumsy) kiss to him to cheer him up. Would it work this time? He couldn't help but feel a little wary to even try. It should work, but he didn't want to make Fei cry even more.

"S-Sorry, Alpha…" Fei managed to speak, voice shaky as he took in deep breaths. The boy lifted his head to see the other, wanting to speak to him directly. Seeing the violet haired male, he nearly let out a laugh, a little chuckle. It wasn't every day that he was able to see Alpha with a surprised and almost scared look on his face. It really did not suit him.

"Is something wrong? You do not usually cry like this," Alpha stated calmly, though there was a bit of worry in that tone of voice. If the look on his face didn't give away his worries, then his voice would have.

Fei shook his head, trying to deny that nothing was wrong. But its not like that would settle with Alpha. Oh no, he couldn't in this obviously troubled and teary state.

"Do not cry, Fei," he tried to sound gentle, soothing. Which was fairly difficult for him and sounded forced when he spoke, but thankfully Alpha was dealing with someone who knew his troubles with emotions. "Tears should never be falling on your face."

Alpha sat beside him, slowly and trying not to disrupt the other's space. He held a hand out, slowly finding its way to Fei's face and rubbing the boy's cheek. He was intent on getting rid of those tears that dared to stain his cheeks.

Fei let the other male do as he pleased, he found the action a bit calming. It was nice considering Alpha initiated something like this on his own. By now, his breathing had seemed to have gone back to normal, although a little off from usual, it was better than he had been seconds before. Soon enough he'd be calm and back to normal.

"I'll try not to…" Fei said, keeping his voice quiet so there would't be fear of it cracking. He let his face nuzzle into the palm of Alpha's hand. A smile was forming as his gaze had rested upon Alpha. "I don't want to end up scaring you again anyway." He couldn't help but grin when saying that.

"I was not scared." His response was defensive, a sign that he had been. It did make sense anyway. Alpha was just used to denying his feelings, but thankfully he was learning not to leave it at that. "I was worried about you, I still am."

"I know and I'm so sorry..." Fei apologized, gently removing Alpha's hand off of his, but kept a hold on it. He let his legs drop to hand off the side of the bed to. "I was just…thinking about my family, my…mom…"

The violet haired one's head tilted. Family matters. Another slightly foreign concept to him. Unlike the other, he had only known of his family for a short while, though the memories now were blurry and didn't even seem real at this point. It didn't matter too much to him though, he had a family that he could remember. One that involved his team and the others of El Dorado. And of course, Fei was considered in that family to, if Alpha were to call it that (he tends to keep it more formal between everyone, but perhaps in time he'd come to actually let the word 'family' drop from his mouth).

Alpha knew of Fei's family, the fate of his mother. At least in their timeline, she wasn't amongst the living. Yet, he couldn't feel his sadness, couldn't say he understood his pain. Maybe he could, neither had parents to look after each at a young age and had been 'adopted' into another sort of family, ones that ended up becoming enemies. But Fei had met with his parents, reunited with them. Alpha hadn't.

"Everything will be alright." Comforting words, he knew them well. Though, they never seemed to work on others due to his monotone voice. Of course, being around Fei, he was the exception to that.

"I know…my dad is still around and I have you," Fei said with a smile, a familiar one. He was recovering from that fit of sadness and knowing that he was had caused Alpha to smile to.

"The next time this happens, I will be sure to stop it faster." Alpha's intent was to make sure it never happened again, but things had to be taken step by step. Whether it be a mission or something more personal.

"Next time, I think you should hug me. And maybe shower me in kisses to," Fei said sweetly. Now he was hoping that Alpha would do that, if he were to let out his tears again. Maybe he should tease the other with some crocodile tears to see if he would remember...

"If it will help, then I will. But, I can also do it now."

Alpha squeezed Fei's hands, pulling the other close to him so that he could easily wrap his arms around his green haired love. While he had gotten better at hugging him (he wasn't so tense and stiff when doing so), giving kisses was a bit more…difficult. He never knew where else to kiss besides the lips, but Fei had reassured him plenty of times that anywhere was fine, as long as his lips touched his skin.

With that bit of information in mind, he decided to try it out. Kissing the now happier boy everywhere he could, forehead, cheeks, tip of the nose, lips to (couldn't forget that), the part of his neck that was exposed, even his hands, anywhere he could at the moment without removing clothes. Fei was enjoying this attention and affection from the other, giggling a little as his lips occasionally tickled at his skin.

"Thank you, Alpha." Fei tapped the other male's shoulder, causing him to stop from his kissing and stare straight at him. Smiling brightly now, ignoring the lingering sadness that he was sure was disappearing at a fast rate, Fei leaned in to give Alpha a kiss, letting his lips press against his. "I'm glad that you can make me smile."


	20. Comfortable Around Me

title: Comfortable Around Me  
characters: Lalaya Obies, Ozrock Bitway  
summary: Not everyone likes being on her planet, but Lalaya is determined to see that one of them will be.

* * *

"Why must you always do that whenever I appear to you?"

The young queen of Faram Obius, Lalaya Obies, questions her top advisor. Just as she enters the throne room, she quickens her pace, almost in a rush as if the other alien would run off upon seeing her. Maybe he would, yet she highly doubted it. Why would he leave her side anyway? Hadn't the Ixalian come to trust her yet? To be comfortable around her and their new home; it was her dream to make them enjoy this planet.

"Do what, your majesty?"

The ex-leader of Ixal Fleet inquires, not even looking as if he's offended nor curious by a question like that. He disliked the queen coming up so close to him, the urge to swat her away and have at least a few feet of distance is strong but suppressed. As an Ixalian he only wishes her harm, but as an employed advisor he can only wish for her safety. The feeling is complex and he hates it, but never utters a word of it to her. Ozrock never felt the need to, the queen was smart (as much as he disliked admitting it) and empathetic to a point. Lalaya was probably far aware of the hatred that burned behind those striking pale green eyes.

"I can't exactly show it to you, but…"

The queen pauses, raises a hand and a finger is outstretched. She points to his antenna like bits of hair. Unlike their usual curved and flowing position, they were rather straight, stiff.

"They're not curly like they usually are, or as uneven. They're really straight. Your shoulders are pretty tense to..."

The Ixalian lets out a soft sigh, eyes glancing down to avoid her judgmental gaze. He was certain if he didn't speak up now, she would continue to point out more of his supposed unusual stance.

"Is it not a normal feeling for those working with royalty to be so on guard while performing their duties, especially when confronted with her majesty?"

"Is that what your body language means?"

Ozrock did not answer, he didn't want to. It was much more than that. Conflicting feelings, wanting to harm but knowing now he had to protect. He couldn't devise a plan for revenge, as much as he would like to, in this position it would be impossible, it would be far too obvious. Besides, no one really trusted these bitter aliens, no one but her majesty.

Lalaya tilted her head, staring up at the other and waiting for a response. She felt that if she waited long enough, an answer would come. But as much as she wished for something like that, her answer would be lost in his silence.

"I'll take that as a yes."

She decided to believe him. It didn't surprise Ozrock, not anymore.

"But, I'll make you comfortable around me soon enough."

The young queen smiles. This comment now catches him off guard. Eyes widen slightly, his mouth opens and is ready to ask 'Why?' but stops. He tells himself that he doesn't care, he shouldn't. Ozrock relaxes and lets out another sigh. Why did this alien have to point this out in the first place?

"That is unnecessary." _I'll never be comfortable around someone like you._ "Your majesty does not have the time to spare over her advisors. It is best to keep an eye out on your…subjects."

He resists speaking ill of them. Its a difficult task but he has come to stop himself in time for such things. Being forced into this position he is also forced to carefully pick and choose his words around those he still considers his enemies.

The queen does not like Ozrock's response. Cheeks puff up, just a little and her arms are crossed. He hates that childish look she is now giving him because he knows that she will make her words come true.

"You are part of those who I rule over. I love my people and want them to be happy, to live well and love their place here. Even if you are not born from this planet and still despise those who live here…the least I can do is make you content here."

The advisor closes his eyes, rolling them behind those closed lids. He bites his tongue, resisting the urge to argue further. Its useless, he's seen how stubborn this queen can be especially when it comes to the well being of her people.

"Whatever you wish, your majesty."

...

It takes time to close old wounds, those burned and scarred through revenge and hatred are much more difficult to heal. Lalaya had known that from the start, but with her hopeful spirit she had liked it to be sooner. No, it takes more than weeks, months of constantly going to Ozrock's side, turning to him for nearly every little thing.

He finds it annoying, yet gives out every answer truthfully. The Ixalian knows what he is saying, this position of his is familiar and knows what is best for a planet, even one he hates with all his heart. He yearns for the queen to leave his side, wanting to be at peace with his own kind, only he can find comfort in being with them.

Lalaya understands this, she comes to anyway. She has noticed the way her advisors are when around each other compared to around anyone else on this planet. They're happier, livelier, open, still a bit angry but happy to have each other. Not all was completely lost to them; as long as they had each other there was still hope.

But, she can never be apart of that. What the Ixalians have with each other is something she will never truly understand. Yet, she can find another way, just one way to be break into that with one of them. It may have not been the wisest to try with the one who seemed to bear the most hatred towards her and her people, but if she could manage with him, then there was hope for them all.

Little by little, the queen tries her best to be with Ozrock as much as possible. Whether it be during formal duties or not. She knows to give him space, especially when he's in a foul mood, but always offers her companionship.

"You know, if you need someone, you can come to me. I'll listen to you."

Ozrock scoffs to that offer. He didn't need her when he had his own kind.

"Please, keep that offer in mind. I don't want you to forget it."

Its sickeningly sweet of her to push it on him. The advisor will never accept it though, no matter how hard she pushes he will not shove.

Not even when the queen comes to see him at a time he never wished she would.

"You should not be here."

His voice is low, venomous, not all the same tone he uses when he speaks to her around the palace. Ozrock's eyes dart to her figure that is casting a shadow into this, what is suppose to be, Ixalian only room. The hatred that is so bottled up and forced down is seeping through now, even he cannot restrain it.

"Get out."

Its an order.

"No."

She denies it.

"I said, get out. In here, you are not my majesty. In here, you are a murderer."

Ozrock hisses from his unmoving spot, just glaring at her. In this moment he's not afraid to harm her. He has lost all meaning to being her advisor; she is only a monster in his vengeful eyes.

"Please, Ozrock, I want to know more…"

Lalaya speaks in a quiet tone, that cheeriness is lost but the concern still remains. She slowly takes a step into the room, this chamber that holds those precious to the surviving Ixalians. This is where the remaining ones sleep, those that they were all hoping would come to one day. She was probably the first of her kind to ever dare set foot in here.

A purple and pink light begins to glow above Ozrock, it begins to form into the shape of disk, odd symbols etching and forming in and around it. They glow brighter but thats all they do for now. He's not afraid to attack and this is his warning.

The queen gasps as she sees this forming attack, she's seen it before on the field and knows the damage it can bring when fully released. Her body shakes in fear and she can tell just how serious her advisor is. For a moment she considers leaving, running to protect her life but doesn't. Lalaya stands her ground.

"I'm staying."

And she does.

Ozrock's move begins to falter. He's so close to letting this happen, ending her life or at least mortally wounding her. It would only take one hit from his Judgement Ray, he wouldn't have to go all out on her. Just one hit thats all it would take. She would be gone and they would be free. Wasn't being an S rank criminal better than being here?

"…"

They're both at a stand still but by now they are both familiar with each other. Ozrock knows she won't budge and Lalaya trusts that he won't harm her. They are both right and eventually the glowing disk above him begins to lose its light and eventually fades.

Lalaya smiles just a bit and slowly walks into the room, only stopping to stand beside the Ixalian. She's quiet as she looks up, eyeing each container that holds a different alien from his home planet. Her smile fades as she looks to each one and finds herself having the same wish as Ozrock; wanting to see them wake up.

The queen wants to ask about each one, hear their stories but the moment she opens her mouth, Ozrock raises a hand to silence her. He says nothing, only hoping that she would respect his wishes and not speak at all. He never speaks when in here; minus the apology to them before he leaves and telling them that he would return. What else could he say after failing them all?

They stand beside each other in absolute silence, the only sound that is heard is the occasional loud breath or the adjusting of a foot. The queen cannot stay for long and out of curiosity she turns her head to look to Ozrock. It is then that she catches a tear falling from his eye. It sets off an alarm in her, she dislikes seeing anyone cry.

"Ozrock!"

Lalaya breaks the silence with that shout, startling him a bit. He finds that her arms are wrapped around his waist, the girl is hugging him. And Ozrock does not like it one bit.

"Let go."

The bitter alien growls at her, even though that tear has fallen he is not going to let himself fall to the emotion.

"Not until you're feeling better. I know you its sad and you should cry, but…"

The queen pauses as she's at a lack of words. What can she say to make him feel better? There's nothing that she could do to help him. Its far too late now, she thinks. The best thing she can do is just hug him. Even he has had a hug before during sad times, hasn't he?

Ozrock grumbles something under his breath, its probably best she couldn't identify what it was. He wriggles an arm out of her old to get rid of the remains of that fallen tear. As much as he wants to push her away, he lets her stay. Only doing that would cause her grip to tighten around him.

After a quiet moment of being trapped in her embrace, Ozrock lets out a sigh and speaks.

"Do not speak of this to anyone."

"I won't."

…

Lalaya is making cheerfully making her way over to the throne room. Just like any other royalty, she needs to get to work. Time for relaxation will come her way soon enough. At the door to the throne room, she hesitates for a moment, her hand resting on the handle.

Ozrock is in there and she's worried about what to expect. The day before had been so…she couldn't describe it. Had they grown closer from that moment? She had seen her advisor at a weak state and now she had to face him head on.

She shook her head, telling herself not to worry about anything. Taking a deep breath, she turns the handle and pushes the door open. Her eyes remain on the ground, though they quickly turn to where Ozrock is waiting. Her eyes rest upon the Ixalian and she smiles to the sight of her advisor.

"You've stopped doing that tick of yours."

"Doing what?"

"You know what I mean."

 _You're comfortable around me._


	21. Ski Trip

title: Ski Trip  
characters: Afuro Terumi, Fubuki Shirou  
pairings: aphrodi/fubuki  
summary: How can one person, or god, win the heart of a certain snowy striker? Go on a ski trip with him and try to use that charm of his on the other boy. That should work.  
a/n: like ch 17, done for a meme on tumblr. jfc this was supposed to be a drabble and look at it now.

* * *

Aphrodi had his mind set on learning how to ski. Well, he was more set on attempting to learn the sport; his main focus was trying to spend some time with a certain silver haired striker. He was eager to make a move on him, eager to find out if that Hakuren striker actually had some feelings towards him. And if not, he was sure that he could recreate some moments from various popular romantic movies in order to get Fubuki's heart to skip a beat for him. It shouldn't be that hard anyway, right? Who wouldn't love a god of beauty like himself after all? Besides, for someone like Aphrodi, it should be easy to work his godly charm on those around him.

The blonde had asked Fubuki a couple of months ago if he would be willing to teach him how to ski, saying something about how he wanted to get a grasp on one of the snowy sports during a trip to Hokkaido. Aphrodi also offered a room to him since he'd be staying at a ski lodge. The blonde had suggested it would be best if Fubuki remained with him, saving him some time from traveling back and forth from there to home, as well as getting to share the same room with him to (although he knew Fubuki would have probably offered his home for a short visit, there was something more romantic about going to a lodge instead).

While the striker happily agreed to it, he was assuming it was just as the blonde had said. This would be just them, the snow sport expert teaching the blonde beauty how to ski; nothing more, nothing less. But even he had to admit that his heart was racing to the thought of spending a few days with Aphrodi. He didn't dare let any of his emotions for the other ever show. He couldn't allow himself to even hint at it. His blonde friend had so many admirers (he so happened to be one of them to), so Fubuki didn't think he had a chance. But, being able to do something like this with him, well, he felt very lucky to be the one he had chosen for this situation. Who else better to teach such a handsome soccer player to ski than the prince of the snowfield?

When the appointed date had arrived, the two had met up at the ski lodge. Aphrodi had gotten there earlier to check in while Fubuki had made it just a little after the other male had settled into their room. Fubuki was glad that Aphrodi hadn't gone and reserved a single bed room, he didn't think he'd manage to control himself if given the chance to share a bed with his crush!

"Make yourself at home, Fubuki. And I hope you don't mind if we go skiing right away?" Aphrodi had asked while the other was unpacking. If the silverette had wanted to relax, he wouldn't mind, but he was just so eager to put his plan in motion.

Fubuki had turned to him, no matter what he was unable to say no, especially with that excited look on the blonde's face. "Alright, we can. It is best to go out while there is light anyway." Doing anything in the dark out here was probably not the best idea. The silver haired male wasn't too sure if the blonde was aware of that fact, surely he was, it was common sense after all.

The moment Fubuki had finished unpacking, the two had taken their way out of the lodge, rented some gear, and then began their little skiing getaway. Fubuki was very focused on helping Aphrodi get himself started with this sport, while Aphrodi was…trying his best, as well as 'accidentally' fumbling around, occasionally finding himself leaning onto the other for support, putting his arm around Fubuki, faces nearly touching as he listened to Fubuki speak, doing all that he could to get a reaction out of the other male.

And had it worked? Aphrodi really couldn't tell. He had seen the other's face flush from time to time, though he couldn't tell if that was due to his actions or to the cold. There were also some stutters that spilled from his lips, which he could assume was from something else besides the cold, he was hoping so anyway. Either way, he was intent on getting Fubuki's heart to beat for him, one way or another. And in a way that he would notice it to!

The rest of their first day continued on like that while light was out. When darkness had taken its place, the two had gone back inside the lodge, warming up by the fireplace, having a warm drink, and sharing a blanket together (which of course was Aphrodi's idea).

The next day had been the same, though Aphrodi was getting a little better at skiing, he decided he couldn't be a bumbling fool the whole time he was here with Fubuki. He wanted to show him that his teaching skills were really paying off, and they were! Aphrodi was so glad to manage to do some beginner level paths, falling only a couple of times, but ended up having Fubuki help him up. It was way better than having some boring instructor do all this with him. Besides, being helped by his crush and having an excuse to hold his hand was definitely worth a couple of snowy falls. And when night came, they spent it the same way as the last, although this time it was Fubuki who had suggested sharing the blanket, which gave Aphrodi some hope to his romantic skills working their magic on his soon to be cute snow angel.

As for the following day, Aphrodi wanted to do something different, a little more daring. He had been asking around if there was another lodge and found out there was one. Although it had been left unused for years, it was still there and provided some getaway for…couples during their stay here. What they did was left up to the imagination, but of course the most fitting came to mind. Thinking about such indecent things- he couldn't! It was far too soon, but perhaps in time such things could be between them. Now all he had to do was find a way to get them both there. It would prove to be difficult considering he didn't even know its exact location, but as long as they kept going down slopes and away from the main paths, they should find it...eventually.

"Fubuki! I'm going to try this one!" Aphrodi called out, going to a little more advanced course. The blonde would really have to do his best not to fall and just keep on skiing on this one. "Want to do this one with me? I'd appreciate if you were by my side on this path."

"Are you sure? I know you want to do a more difficult one, but do you…think you can handle it?" Fubuki asked, oblivious to the other male's true intentions. In all honesty, he just didn't want Aphrodi to end up hurt or falling to much. "I mean, I think you can do this, just…not at the moment. It takes a while to go from one course to another."

"I know, but theres no harm in trying, is there?" Aphrodi asked, a sweet smile and determined look in his eyes accompanying the question.

"No, there isn't. But…be careful, okay?"

"Oh, I will be. And if not, I have you by my side. I know you'll help me and you'll be there if I fall."

Aphrodi nearly forgot his plan just speaking to him, getting swept up in the moment and actually wanting to try this path. But he had to focus! Try his best to impress Fubuki and also lead him off the main course! Someone like him could definitely do it, he was so certain of it.

Taking on this rookie course was easy at first, but these slopes were far more different than what he was used to. Even though his cool facade, he did begin to worry if he could even continue with this. The only reason he didn't end up giving up half way through was seeing Fubuki skiing right along side him.

When the path came to an end, Aphrodi began to continue on. He just had to. That empty lodge, it was calling their names (or so he believed) and he just needed to get Fubuki to come with him.

"Aphrodi?" Fubuki's voice was full of worry. That was a good sign, right? "Where are you going? We should be heading back…"

"Oh, I just want to see whats ahead! Besides, the path keeps going, and I want to show you that I can follow it," Aphrodi replied before quickly trying to ski onward. While he heard Fubuki say something about turning back, if he acted like he hadn't, the other would follow. And follow he did.

The sun was beginning to set and Fubuki was definitely worried that they wouldn't make it back to their lodgings in time. He kept calling out to Aphrodi, asking for them to turn back but it didn't seem like he would listen. And since he couldn't just leave the other out here, the silverette had to follow. Though, he was very surprised to find that another lodge was in sight. He was so relieved, thinking they'd let them stay the night. Yet, he found it odd that it was rather empty.

"Oh, look! A place to stay! Come on, lets stay there for the night!" Aphrodi said rather eagerly. Fubuki was going to question the other but just shook his head and followed after him. As much as he did not want to go into this empty lodge, what other choice did they have?

Although upon entering and finding out why this place was empty, Fubuki had gotten the chills and really did not want to stay there. This place was old, creaky at every step, wood rotting, cold air shifted through the place. For once, he wanted to chance going back to their place in the dark.

"A-Aphrodi…I don't think we should stay here…" Fubuki mumbled while pulling on Aphrodi's jacket.

"But we won't make it back in time, I don't think so anyway." Aphrodi said while looking around, already trying to find some blankets that would help keep them warm for the night. "Besides, its not like anything bad will happen here."

Fubuki let out a sigh and mumbled, "We're in an abandoned lodge in the middle of nowhere…Sure, you're totally right, nothing bad could ever happen here…" He paused for a moment, putting a hand over his mouth. He didn't expect his comment to sound as if he were annoyed with the other. While he sort of was thanks to him insisting on coming here, he just wanted to be somewhere that he knew they would both be safe. Even so, Fubuki was secretly hoping that Aphrodi had not managed to hear his mumbling worries.

"Nothing bad will happen." Guess he did hear it after all. "I'll protect you from anything dangerous. And tomorrow we can relax back at the lodge for our final day, okay?" Aphrodi was planning on letting Fubuki decide tomorrow's activities. Wether it be skiing or just relaxing, it would be his decision since he had dragged him all the way out here. But by tomorrow, he was hoping that they would be a little more than friends to. Perhaps it was a stretch, but he could have high hopes.

And after hearing Fubuki's little change in tone with that comment, he was worried that he had done something wrong. He should have listened to the other, he had grown up here after all and probably knew this place better than he had. Not the lodge, but the area in general. A pang of guilt had struck through him, thinking that being here had made him lose every chance he had now.

The blonde sighed to himself during his blanket search, and luckily for the two, he had managed to find some. Although they were rather dusty and probably not the best to sleep under, but it would be the best thing to use for now. Alongside the blankets, a dusty pillow was resting beside it. Also, probably not the best, but it would have to do.

"Fubuki! I found some blankets and a pillow!" He called out to the other, moving the items about in an attempt to get the dust off them.

"Oh, thats great." He actually sounded relieved upon hearing that. And although he was looking fairly calm, Fubuki couldn't help but worry about what may happen while here. Unlike the other, his worries about being avalanched in were beginning to spike. Mentally he began to tell himself to calm down, something like that would not happen. If it did, he was certain it would take their original lodge down before getting to them...which really wasn't a happy thought either.

"Are you alright, Fubuki?" Aphrodi asked, noticing the slight trouble expression that was playing on his face.

"Oh! S-Sorry, I was just thinking..." Fubuki mumbled, not wanting to tell the other about his worries. He was certain Aphrodi meant well when spotting this lodge and it was far better than trying to camp out in the snow, so he remained quiet.

Yet, Aphrodi was still worried by the look. Now he was really regretting his decision to come to this lodge. He should have just stuck to falling into Fubuki's arms while losing his balance! Oh, just being in that silverette's arms now sounded so lovely...

"Come on, Fubuki, the sooner we get to sleep the sooner we can head back up." The blonde said, setting down the pillow in a place he found did not have such a creaky floor underneath and was not too cold. Hopefully during the night this place wouldn't be too freezing for the two.

"Alright..." Fubuki quietly walked over to where the pillow was placed. And just as he sat down, his thoughts of worries seemed to disappear as he finally came to the realization that he would have to sleep beside Aphrodi. There was no way either one of them could sleep apart, they had to sleep under the same blanket, share the same pillow, be literally centimeters away from each other. Fubuki's face flushed to the thought. Oh dear, could he even handle something like this?

The blonde had tried getting rid of any remaining dust before sitting beside Fubuki. He had caught the other's face turning red and even through all this was still hoping the Hakuren boy was feeling something for him. And even he had to admit that he was starting to get a little heated to the thought of sleeping beside Fubuki. Maybe he could get away with a sleepy hug in the middle of the night, he was hoping he could.

"Lie down with me?" Rather than making that a command, he left it as a question, not wanting to force Fubuki to end up beside him. He had already been forceful enough leading Fubuki here.

After a moment of hesitation, the silver haired boy gave a slight nod and had settled down beside the blonde striker. He remained oddly still, almost frozen in one spot. If he were going to get through the night, he'd really have to calm that beating in his chest. Fubuki was hoping that only he could hear his strangely loud heartbeat.

Aphrodi rested upon his side facing Fubuki, who was lying still upon his back. A hand of his reached out, gently touching the boy's shoulder and causing him to flinch. "Sorry." The blonde apologized quickly. "You should relax, Fubuki."

Fubuki only nodded to that, taking a deep breath in, then out. Calm down, calm down. It was only night by his side. While the thought should be relieving, he would have liked more to come, that is if he weren't so damn shaken up by his presence. "I will. I didn't mean to worry you..."

"Let me guess, you're just thinking? I wouldn't mind knowing what you're thinking about. Maybe telling it to me would help you relax?" It was only a suggestion, but he was rather curious to know what was on the other boy's mind.

Fubuki had to resist simply saying, 'You.' as a response. Just imagine if he had let that slip! "Its just being here...I'm worried about something bad happening. Something that neither of us can stop." Rather than say his other worry, he decided to let that one come out. Besides, he was afraid that might happen, an avalanche coming down suddenly. It wouldn't be the first time he heard one out here anyway.

Aphrodi frowned upon hearing his response, biting down on his lower lip for a moment. Although Fubuki had been quick to agree to this trip, the blonde had nearly forgotten about the other's fear to a certain snowy disaster. This was a terrible, terrible idea. He shouldn't have brought him here. "I'm so stupid."

"Huh? You're not, Aphrodi." Fubuki spoke, sounding confused hearing Aphrodi say something like that. He was usually one to boast not belittle himself.

The blonde let out a sigh and shook his head. If he were to tell the other his plan now, he would surely hate his guts. Without a word, Aphrodi had reached around Fubuki, pulling him close in a tight embrace. "I'll tell you later, when we're back at the lodge. Let me do this, I'll know your safe if your in my arms."

Fubuki's face had gone a deep red as he was bound to Aphrodi. He didn't push away nor struggle in his grip. His mind was just at a loss, his heart definitely beating like crazy now. Not wanting the other to see his flushed face, he had just rested it against his chest. And was it him or was Aphrodi's heartbeat going just as fast as his own?

It had even taken Fubuki a moment to process what the other had said. He'll be safe in his arms- he felt safe in his arms. Slowly, Fubuki had raised his own arms to be around Aphrodi, wanting to be comfortable and not completely stiff in his hold. He was hoping this was okay and since the blonde didn't seem to be against it, he figured it was.

The silverette could feel a hand on his back, gently rubbing it in an attempt to soothe his worried soul. And it had been working. As time passed together in this darkening room, Fubuki could feel himself losing that tense feeling and being overcome with sleep. Eventually he had fallen asleep, leaving Aphrodi awake to look after him. Although, sleep would eventually take him to but for now he was happy to be like this.

"I'll make this up to you, I promise," Aphrodi said in a hushed tone. He even dared to give a quick peck to Fubuki's forehead. Now it was his turn to fall asleep while embracing him.

The two had no clue what time it was when they had woke, though they figured it was some time in the morning considering the sun's rays had peaked in and shone on their faces, the cause for them to wake up. When they had both come to, for a moment they looked to each other, just staring into each other's eyes and processing the night before. Each had turned red (Fubuki was first and Aphrodi followed upon the sight) and had let go of the other. Neither really mentioned enjoying sleeping like so, but they had been quietly happy about that situation.

Not wanting to waste time, Aphrodi was now eager to go back. Fubuki, unlike coming down to this lodge, had happily agreed to hurry and get to their place. As much as he would like to continue their skiing lessons, the silverette had decided that it would be best to just enjoy what the lodge had to offer, do warm activities. Fubuki had promised that another time, another trip, they could continue their lessons. Hearing that had made Aphrodi's heart soar, a promise to see each other again!

"Ah! Its great to be back!" The blonde gave a sigh of relief as they had finally gotten back to their warm and comfortable room. Stepping inside here, he was glad Fubuki had chosen to stay in. He'd rather not have to go out and deal with the cold, especially when it kept hitting him in the face. "I definitely need a shower though. I hope you don't mind me going first?"

Fubuki shook his head, taking a seat on one of the chairs rather than on the bed. "No, you can go on in first. I'll wait." He didn't mind showering second, but after the reminder of sleeping in a rather dirty place, he was eager to take one quick.

"You know...you could always come in with me." Aprhodi winked to the other boy with a playful smile. Seeing Fubuki's cheeks turn pink had definitely been worth it. And now he felt more confident in his advances to. Perhaps it was that sneaky kiss he had given the other or just knowing that they had slept in each other's arms, either way he was looking forward to really pulling on Fubuki's heartstrings. "Kidding. Anyway I won't take too long."

Fubuki sighed in relief, though had been secretly hoping that Aphrodi was serious on that. No, he couldn't be. But he could dream that he was.

After the two had both showered and taken a moment to appreciate a room like this, they had gone out to travel around the lodge. There wasn't to much to do, most activities were made to be outside or for younger children, but nevertheless the two had enjoyed themselves. And when night came, they had more then quickly returned to their room. Definitely not about to take a chance to get locked out or anything like the previous night.

"Hey, Aphrodi?" Fubuki looked to the other as he decided to ask this now. "What was it that you were going to tell me? You know, about...you being stupid, which you aren't."

Aphrodi had frozen on his bed when Fubuki had asked that question. It felt as the blonde had been hit by Fubuki's Ice Ground. Oh dear, he really had hoped the silverette had forgotten about that little slip of the tongue.

"Well..." Aphrodi had thought to brush it off, say it was nothing or the cold had gotten to him. But how could he lie to this sweet boy? And if were ever to really be involved romantically with him...telling the truth would be necessary to make their relationship functional, wouldn't it? "Promise me, you won't be angry with me, alright?"

It was such an odd request to hear, but nevertheless he agreed. "I won't."

Aphrodi let out a sigh, hoping that Fubuki really wouldn't be angry. He had never seen the other truly angry before and the thought of someone so calm and sweet losing his temper...it would not be pretty, at least thats what he thought.

"I had...intentionally tried to find that place. I heard some rumors about it being a good place for couples to get away for more privacy and I thought it would be nice to be completely alone with you for a while. But, it was a mistake. I made you worry and made terrible memories resurface. I should have just remained here, been a good person, then we wouldn't have to had slept in a disgustingly filthy place like that. I'm sorry, Fubuki, I only meant to..."

Aphrodi stopped himself there. Oh boy, this was not how he wanted to go about with a confession, but mentioning that lodge was a place for couples might have already been more than enough. That is, if Fubuki had picked up on what he was getting at.

"Is...that all?" Fubuki asked seeing as the blonde had gone quiet. He was expecting something worse, but found nothing wrong with wanting alone time with the other. Well, he could have gone about it in a better way, but Fubuki felt that if he said that it wouldn't really help. Besides, even Aphrodi was aware about that fact. As much as he tried to ignore that mention of a couples getaway, it was hard to get it off his mind. "I'm not angry with you over that..."

Hearing that had put his mind at ease, Aphrodi was glad not to have seen the imagined terror of an angry Fubuki.

"But..."

Maybe he spoke too soon.

"Why would you...w-want to go to a couple's place with me?"

Instead of dealing with an angry Fubuki, he was dealing with a curious and red faced one. Which one was worse? Probably the angry one, but right now he was going to have to give the other a truthful answer. So much for trying to have the most romantic confession in mind and at a later date.

Aphrodi sat up from his bed and walked over to Fubuki, looking at him as he remained seated on his chosen bed in this lodge. Although inwardly he was trembling and fearing that the silverette would reject him, outwardly Aphrodi remained calm, or as calm as he could be during this unplanned confession.

"Because, I wanted to get closer to you." Aphrodi pauses, reaching out and gently taking Fubuki's hand in his own. "I wasn't planning on saying this so soon, but I don't think I can really keep this a secret any longer." He clears his throat, eyes closed as he does so. When he opens them again, he speaks. "Fubuki Shirou. Being around you makes me happier than anything else in this world, your radiant smile brings light to my life, and a person as special as you only comes by once in a lifetime. I don't know how long I've had these feeling stored inside me, but I love you. It would truly make me the happiest god on this earth if you would accept my feelings."

Fubuki was at a loss of words, lost in the ones that Aphrodi had said to him. This had to be a dream or was it a dream come true? He couldn't tell but he was definitely hoping it was the latter. And if this was a dream, he did not want to be woken from it!

"I-I..." He stumbled for words, wanting to say yes. The silverette hated to just keep the blonde waiting for an answer. What was he supposed to do? Without really thinking, Fubuki pulled Aphrodi down, just enough so that their faces would be close. He heard the blonde gasp and say 'What?', probably caught off guard to this action, but he didn't really care. Right now, he just wanted to have his lips press against those he had been wanting to meet with for so long. And he made it happen.

Aphrodi, although surprised to his actions and answer, was more than happy to kiss back. Although he was beginning to lose his footing from that pull and had to break away from that kiss for that moment, just to end up landing on Fubuki, who had fallen back on to the bed. He let out that amazing and melodic chuckle as he found himself on top of Fubuki.

"I take thats a yes?"

"Yes!" Fubuki was quick to respond to that question. "I've...liked you for a long time. I never thought you would like me though..." He admitted in a quiet tone. "You could probably have any one you want and yet-"

"I chose you." Aphrodi smiled down at him, finishing that sentence for him. "As I said, you're special, one of a kind. I'd be a fool to fall for someone else. You're the only one for me."

Fubuki blushed and smiled to his kind and loving words. "I love you, Aphrodi. Or should I say Afuro Terumi?" He asked. It felt a little strange using his real name, but he found himself enjoying saying it. Maybe he should start dropping the nickname? He didn't know if he could do so so soon.

"Terumi is fine, but only if you're alright with me calling you Shirou." Just as Fubuki had enjoyed saying his name, so had Aphrodi.

"I don't mind. I would like it if you called me that...Terumi."

"That settles it the, Shirou."

Aphrodi grinned at him, slowly lowering his face to Fubuki's and once again their lips met. Now they were able to let this kiss last without the worry of falling over or wanting a clear answer. Their lips parted only to be met again, they needed some air to continue with these kisses. And before either one got to carried away, they both decided to stop for now.

"I guess this means we can share a bed now? I really enjoyed holding my little snow angel last night."

Fubuki only smiled to that, putting his arms around Aphrodi and tightly hugging him. He'd be in the blonde's embrace for the rest of the night, but for now he wanted to be the one giving him a warm hug. It definitely was not the first, but it would not be the last, just as many other actions were to be shared between the two.


	22. Morning Call

title: Morning Call  
characters: Taiyou Amemiya, Yuuichi Tsurugi  
pairings: Taiyou/Yuuichi if you squint  
summary: The first thing he hears in the morning is the sound of his phone.  
a/n: for a blog called drabblesweekly on tumblr. The prompt for this week is The Call, which is to start off a 100 word drabble with a phone call.

* * *

There was an odd yet familiar buzzing sound reverberating throughout Taiyou's room. It hadn't startled the boy, although it caused him to stir in bed. After a yawn, a hand reached out to the night stand beside his bed. It searched for a single item, his cell phone, the source of this noise.

As he managed to take it into his hands, lazily he attempted to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Taiyou?" A chuckle from the other end. "Did you just wake up?"

"No." _Yes._

"You were up late, weren't you?"

"Yuuichi..."

"Practicing again? I don't want you to overwork your body..."


	23. Last Chance

title: Last Chance  
characters: Shindou Takuto  
summary: Moments before a decisive kick.  
a/n: for drabblesweekly on tumblr (again). The prompt for this week is One Shot, which is to use this exact sentence in your story: _"I'll only have one shot."_

* * *

 _I'll only have one shot._

 _One chance, one kick._

 _If I miss the goal, we lose. If it passes the goalkeeper, we win._

 _I take in a breath and hold it. Only a couple of seconds pass but I feel as if I've been holding my breath for minutes. I exhale and repeat the process._

 _The world around me seems to stop. Everyone is still, waiting for one single movement. A sign from me._

 _My legs feel heavy, my sight is blurry. I can't let any tears fall now._

 _I can hear my heart beating; it's louder than ever before._


	24. Unexpected

title: Unexpected  
characters: Powai, Matatagi Hayato  
pairings: Powai/Matatagi  
summary: Expect the unexpected, as they say.  
a/n: I honestly just ? ? ? I wanted it to be something else between the two but then it came out like this.

* * *

Her appearance was completely unexpected. She was uninvited to this planet, under the guise of being on a friendly visit. That's all it was, she claimed with a cute and innocent look. Anyone who dared to question her would instantly seem like a villain. She knew just how to twist the words of others into her favor, a simple look at their azul was all that was needed.

Except, she found herself unable to play with one human's azul. It was annoying. She wanted to play with it again, just as she had during their match. A dark azul was so rare and devastatingly beautiful.

Just like him.

"What's an alien princess like you doing here?" Matatagi's words were harsh, so different from the polite tone he used to keep up. Now he spoke his mind freely, never holding back a second thought.

It was all thanks to her sadistic and playful nature. She saw the darkness from within and had urged it to come out. It was not as she had expected, she wanted something more destructive.

"Powai said she was here to visit." Her cheeks puff up in a pout. Hadn't he already heard the news? "And Powai wants to spend time with you!"

"Then go visit someone else, little Sazanaaran. I have better things to do than speak with you."

It wouldn't be that easy to get rid of her. She was a stubborn one, quick to stomp her feet right in front of his. An annoyed look as she glared up at him. Her eyes were searching through his, trying to find something, a hint, anything that she could use against him. It was easier to examine a person's azul for this, but that would not work on him.

"No! Powai is spending time with you on this visit."

The human sighs and rolls his eyes. Arms crossed as he glares down at her. Annoyed, its clear thats what he's feeling right now.

"Why me? You intent on having fun with me again? Sorry, it won't work again." He huffs and then a single thought strikes, causing him to smirk.

"Or maybe..." Without giving her any time to react, the boy quickly, roughly shoves her back. She nearly falls, but a wall helps her remain standing. A hand is than slammed right by her face, actually, surprisingly, making her jump. "You must really like me enough if I'm the first one you came running to."

"Powai just finds you interesting, that's all." She defends herself, a hand playing with the white ends of her hair. It had been a long time since she last felt so nervous. She couldn't read him. It was almost...terrifying, thrilling.

"That's all?" He snorts, looking offended. "I bet you really just missed me. Must not be fun on your planet if you had to come here for a so called visit. No one of your kind can be a replacement for me, huh?" He chuckles. "Don't think I didn't notice those looks you threw at me the last time we met. Your eyes were on me the whole time. I guess you're just a bit lovestruck with a human, aren't you?"

For once, she's at a loss of words. She's supposed to be the one toying with him, using sweet words to make him fall to his knees. She's supposed to be reading him and knowing just the right words to say, not the other way around.

And he knows, he's well aware that he's the one in charge. That cocky smirk looking down on her. Only so many could hold that look and be a real threat. At this point, he was probably the only one.

Not wanting to be looked down upon, to try and regain her dominance, she does the unexpected.

"Maybe the little human is right," she starts. "Matatagi is fascinating. Powai does not understand this lovestruck, but Powai does know what she wants."

Just as he had roughly pushed her back, she does the same, except she grabs him by the collar, forcibly pulling him down to her level. A quick meeting of lips is established within a second.

The alien lets go of him immediately after their lips part. And for a second, she is triumphant. The human is in a state of shock, taking him a couple of seconds to even understand what she had done. Confessed and kissed.

"That was unexpected..." He mutters, having expected more defensive responses, wanting to push her more.

"Powai can still surprise you." And he could always surprise her.


	25. Motorcycle

title: Motorcycle  
characters: Tsurugi Kyousuke  
summary: He finds himself returning to their vehicle.  
a/n: for drabblesweekly. The prompt was garage, have a story that takes place within one. Modern AU and Tsurugi is a bit older, enough to have a motorcycle permit/license.

* * *

The door is shut with a loud reverberating sound. He mentally tells himself to be careful next time. His steps are silent, moving forward and deeper into the garage.

In the center is a lone motorcycle. Shiny, spotless, well taken care of, the finest and fastest model to this day.

When was the last time he had taken this out for a ride? While he had kept it in shape for his brother, he hadn't actually used it since the accident.

Kyousuke grips onto a handle, keys dangling in his other hand. Hesitation strikes and confidence slowly turns to fear.


	26. Predictable

title: Predictable  
characters: Endou Mamoru, Kazemaru Ichirouta  
pairings: enkaze  
summary: Kazemaru thinks he knows Endou like the back of his hand. But, Endou is always full of surprises.  
a/n: its still enkaze day and this is my contribution to the ship. its kinda rushed and short but I did a thing on a ship day I'm proud cuz I always forget/miss it.

* * *

Endou was very predictable. He wasn't that complex to read, Kazemaru had come to learn that after spending years by his side.

If you even utter the word soccer around him, that boy would beginning jumping up and down, expecting you to play with him. He would say it was training, but if the person was younger, maybe even consider teaching in his own unique way.

School was something that put him to sleep. Studying had that effect on him to. It was hard to find the boy not sleeping in one class out of the whole day. How he could manage a quick nap while the teacher was yammering on, that was a mystery.

Endou always found a way to walk by the river bank. It was a special spot of his. He'd go there to think, to play, to train, to learn, to do almost anything.

Kazemaru was fairly sure that he could even read his emotions to. While he couldn't predict them, it was easy to tell just what he was feeling and when.

When he was happy, it was easy to see. His smile was bright, eyes glistening with hope and wonder, and he could never stay still. He was ten times more energetic than ever before.

And when he was saddened, he wore the frown on his face. There were times when he tried to hide it, force a smile, but they never were the same. His usual energy seemed nonexistent and he was definitely more distracted than ever to.

Determination always seemed to be on his face. When he wasn't smiling, he was thinking, focusing on something. Soccer probably. A new technique, something his grandfather had left behind, anything.

Yet, there were times when even he, his best friend, could not predict nor understand this soccer loving dork.

Endou was happy, Kazemaru could tell. That smile really gave it away.

"What did you accomplish this time?" The defender asks, ready to listen to his overly enthusiastic tale over any feat.

"I managed to stop Gouenji's Fire Tornado! You should have seen it!" He begins to go on and on about how amazing it was. How the shot was stopped without a hissatsu. Even Kazemaru had to agree, that was pretty amazing. He could never stop one of those shoots without a technique.

"You're really amazing, Endou. I could never do something like that. You're always growing and I admire that."

"Hehe." A sheepish smile graces the goalkeepers face. "I'm glad you think so. Hearing that makes me really happy. But you're great to, Kazemaru. Don't forget it."

Next would come a hug. Kazemaru was always greeted with one after giving out a compliment and being reassured that he was fine just the way he was. He enjoyed it. The hugs from Endou managed to fill his body with warmth, as if the other was sharing his bright energy with him.

But that hug did not come.

Instead, a pair of warm and rough lips were greeting his. It was very sudden and their lips didn't meet perfectly, especially since Kazemaru was not expecting this to come from Endou. At all.

When Endou had pulled back, he was greeted with a shy yet happy smile, pink tinting his cheeks. Kazemaru was certain that his face was definitely colored with red accompanied by a shocked look on his face.

"See you tomorrow, Kazemaru!"

And then he was dashing off. No explanation, no nothing. He had left Kazemaru in a blushing state, a hand gently touching his lips. Had Endou really just kissed him out of the blue?

He tried to imagine what Endou was thinking as he had done such an outrageous yet loving action. And he even dared to imagine if he could build up the courage to ask for another. Not even he could think of his response to that.

Maybe Endou really wasn't as predictable as he thought he was. The thought made Kazemaru smile; he really was full of surprises, wasn't he?


	27. Loss of Trust

title: Loss of Trust  
characters: Miyabino Reiichi, Ryuuzaki Ouji  
summary: He used to look up to him, but when the truth is out, that changes completely.  
a/n: I want to write more on these two but I feel like I need practice because minor characters. Heavily headcanon based!

* * *

"I thought I could trust you."

Miyabino's words pierce through Ryuuzaki's chest. It hurts more than it should; six simple words that form into one sentence. He could practically feel the anger from those words. The sadness, the hurt, the betrayal.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

Ryuuzaki looks to Miyabino, his face remaining aloof as it always has. He couldn't show just how pained he was upon hearing that. Out of all the soccer loving members on the team, he had grown to like Miyabino the most. And it seemed that he had been the one to hurt the most as well.

"It doesn't matter what if I say anything or not," he answers. "It does not change the fact of what I decided and what I have done."

Miyabino is caught off guard for a moment. He was expecting a lie- no he _wanted_ to hear a lie. He wanted Ryuuzaki to deny that he was a SEED. Not even he wanted to believe it. When the SEEDs had been picked out during their match against Raimon, Ryuuzaki was the last one he expected to be apart of those hidden players.

The goalkeeper goes quiet for a moment, frustration clawing at his skin. His hands curl into a fist, tightly clenching nothing. It hurts so much and he doesn't know why. They were teammates, friends. They trained together and Ryuuzaki had actually helped him when he had trouble. So how could he have been part of Fifth Sector all this time?

"I don't understand..."

Miyabino grits his teeth, head bowed down, eyes shut. He refuses to let tears fall. He's a member of Teikoku's soccer team- of Teikoku Academy. He's supposed to be a proud student, keep his emotions at bay. A moment like this should not upset him so much.

"I...am sorry."

It's very uncharacteristic of him to apologize, but its even more foreign to hear Miyabino raise his voice.

"No, you're not!"

The boy looks up and to Ryuuzaki's surprise, tears are forming. Even when the boy had taken the powerful shoots and had been in pain, he never cried. Seeing the other nearly about to cry, it left him stunned. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort him, tell him to keep his head up and stay strong, but why would he bother taking advice from a SEED?

"You were with Fifth Sector all along! I...I..."

 _I can't believe I looked up to you._

The words were stuck in his throat. He wanted to voice them, tell him how much this was hurting. He wondered if this was hurting him to, but then again, he was a SEED. They could care less about anyone else but themselves, that's how they were always made out to be. Selfish, rude, uncaring, dirty, ruthless. Ryuuzaki really did not fit that description.

"I don't want to see you again."

"You won't have to."

The SEED was certain even the other boy was aware of his (soon to be) expulsion. He'd be kicked out of this prestigious school, his name would be tarnished, and he would not be allowed to play football ever again. Now he could add never seeing Miyabino to that growing list.

Miyabino quickly wiped away any falling tears. Before he learned of him being a SEED, he would have cried in front of him without a worry. But now, he was looking pathetic, a weak little soccer player in his eyes. Maybe he had always looked that way to him.

"Then leave."

Ryuuzaki was going to respond to that comment, but stopped. The longer he remained, the more he was hurting Miyabino. He silently nodded and without another word, turned and left the smaller boy alone. Just as he wanted him to.

"Why...? Ryuuzaki..."

Miyabino waited for him to leave before speaking, his voice holding back little sobs. Part of him regretted uttering those words, another said it was only right for him to go.

"I wish I could trust you."


	28. Take Care

title: Take Care  
characters: Shindou Takuto, Kirino Ranmaru  
pairings: slight shindou/kirino  
summary: Shindou has only so much time before his trip to go and participate in Grand Celesta Galaxy, so he spends his last moments with Kirino.  
a/n: it's return of doing memes from tumblr.

* * *

For once, there was an uncomfortable silence that didn't seem could be broken between the two. A room that was usually filled with chatter, laughter, voices mingling along with an occasional musical tune had gone completely quiet. Neither wanted to speak up, to voice what was on their minds.

Kirino was still frustrated with this whole set up. How could Shindou be taken away from him? Even worse, taken to a place he'd _never_ be able to visit? Going to a different school, a different era was one thing, but going off into space? That seemed too unreal.

"I'm sorry, Kirino..." The brunette apologies, again. He's lost count of how many times he's had to apologize for something that wasn't his fault. He didn't like it either, being sent into space with a new team. Granted the team was slowly coming together but going to see planets and be light years away from home- from Kirino- it was unthinkable.

"Don't say that," Kirino replies, his voice stern, while taking Shindou's hand. "You're not at fault, don't you dare blame yourself for this."

"I know, but..." He pursed his lips, his hand squeezing Kirino's. What else was there to say? "I just wish you could come with me. I know you have the skill to play. You can play I just...I just don't understand why you can't come along!"

Why couldn't Kirino have been picked for the team? Even as a reserve, more members could still be allowed on the team, but Kuroiwa had made it clear. No one else was suited to play on this galactic team.

"Please, calm down, Shindou." Kirino lets out a sigh, his eyes glancing down to their hands. Shindou hasn't let up on his grip, he notices. "You won't be gone that long." _Would he?_

"But there's no definite time." And he wasn't sure if he could calculate time when he was going to be light years away. (That might be better left with Manabe). The brunette turns his head, looking straight at Kirino. "I didn't expect you to be so okay with me going."

"I'm not." He was angrier than he let on. But how could he be angry at Shindou? He could argue against their new coach, but even then he knew that wouldn't do much. "Believe me, if I could fight to be on the team I would." Now it's his turn to squeeze Shindou's hand. "I'm trying my best to improve." Not being one of the selected on the team was a big jab, basically saying he wasn't good enough. And maybe he'll never be. He was being left behind, again.

"If I work harder, just a little more, I can..." _Be good enough for the team. Be good enough for you._ The frustration he was trying to hide was now shown on his face. He didn't want his true feelings to show, those ugly feelings be put on display for Shindou to see.

"Kirino." Hearing his name being uttered by Shindou, he quickly looks to him. He realizes his hand may have been holding on too tightly and drops it.

"Sorry," Kirino apologizes.

Shindou tries to find something to say, a bit distracted now that his hand is empty. He almost tries to reach for it, but something stops him. Maybe it was the look on his face, how he was trying to remain strong through this even if his feelings were breaking through. "Let's enjoy the time we still have left, okay?"

Lingering on that subject would just make them both upset. It's for the best to move on and ignore their short time together. Shindou could practically hear the seconds ticking away whenever things fell quiet between them.

"And I'm assuming you have something in mind for that?" Kirino asks with curiosity.

"I could always play you something." Shindou shrugs, motioning to the piano within his room. It wasn't the best of offers, but it was something that they had done together, something they both enjoyed.

"Do you even have the time to?"

"I'll make time for you."

"Then I'll happily listen to you play." _One final song for me._

Shindou smiles to the pink haired male before distancing himself from the other. He makes his way to the piano, fingers gliding over the instrument, lightly over the keys while not making a sound. The brunette sits down, glancing over to Kirino to see if he had taken a seat as well.

He takes a moment to himself, breathing in, breathing out. The pianist's intent is to play a joyous melody but even he knows that's not what will come out right now. No matter how hard he may try for a song of that emotion, it simply would not be able to come from his heart.

His fingers begin to hit those ivory keys, beginning to play a melody that could be heard throughout the whole house. It wasn't an uncommon thing, those within the home enjoyed hearing it. Although this certain melody may cause worry over the young master. It was a bittersweet tone, filled with sadness, yearning, and just a bit of hope. Leaving everything behind was painful, but it was necessary in order to save what he loved.

Kirino had a sad smile play on his lips. He rested back against the seat, closing his eyes as the room is filled with nothing but the piano. He could also hear Shindou to, not speaking, of course, but through his music. That pianist had a way with letting out his true feelings through playing the instrument.

His music was an attempt to comfort Kirino, to console him. He wanted to let him know things would be alright. This departure was temporary. Eventually, he would come back, things would return to how they used to be. He couldn't just stay on Earth, he couldn't be that selfish. And if it meant protecting Kirino, he would do anything for him. Even if it meant going off into space to play soccer.

The melody slowly begins to fade, the fingers dancing upon the piano's keys are coming to a halt. A final note is played before silence falls again. Normally Shindou is quick to stand and playfully bow to his single audience, but today his gaze rests upon the keys for a moment longer.

"It's beautiful as always, Shindou." Hearing that, the brunette turns to see Kirino slowly standing, walking towards him. "I'm really going to miss hearing you play."

"Thank you." Shindou turns to slowly stand from his seat, walking over to meet with Kirino. "I hope it wasn't too depressing..."

"No! No, it was rather...sweet in a way. Though I could hear the sadness from your heart." Kirino gives a light poke to the brunette's chest, right where his heart was. "I just-"

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

The sudden noise startles them both. There's a light chuckle from each as they realized they had both jumped upon an alarm going off. It's Shindou's cell, the reminder that he needed to leave and meet with the others was approaching.

"You have to go?" Kirino is the one to ask first. He regrets doing so as he knows the answer.

"Yes...it's time to say goodbye." Stating that had hurt more than he thought. Saying goodbye to him, it was only meant to be followed by the thought of seeing him again the following day.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Kirino says softly. What if goodbye was the last thing he would ever say to him? "That makes it sound like we'll never see each other again."

"Hmm...then how about take care?" Shindou suggests. It's not a great substitute, he thinks, but it doesn't sound as final as those departing words. "I'm going to be praying that you're doing well here."

"And I'll be doing the same while you're out there." Kirino points upward as he says that. Wherever Shindou may be in the galaxy, he'd be wishing for nothing but the best.

There's another quiet moment between the two. They've said their temporary goodbyes but now leaving was just going to be that much harder. And they were both aware that they couldn't remain like this for too long.

"Walk with me to the door?" Shindou asks and Kirino instantly agrees. It's a silent walk to the entrance of his home. Shindou is gazing around, taking in the sights and making sure to remember everything here. Who knew when he'd be back? Or if he was coming back at all? He'd miss the familiarity of his home, but of course he'd also be missing Kirino by his side, on or off the field.

Kirino is doing the same, though his gaze falls on Shindou more. He won't be able to return here, but he doesn't want to unless Shindou is here. Would he forget him while he's gone? No, he couldn't. He'd miss him, his presence, his face, his voice, his everything.

"Goodby-" Shindou manages to stop himself once they're at the door. "Take care, Kirino."

"Take care, Shindou."


	29. Picture

title: Picture  
characters: Tsunami Jousuke, Tachimukai Yuuki  
pairings: tsunatachi  
summary: If there's one thing Tachimukai doesn't expect, it's seeing a picture of himself on Tsunami's phone.  
a/n: I found out 4/20 is tsunatachi day so here is a short thing for the ship

* * *

At first, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Tachimukai had taken a quick glance, just one look over Tsunami's shoulder as he had pulled out his cell phone (he hadn't meant to pry or anything, it was just pure coincidence). During that one second, he could have sworn he saw a familiar face set as the other's home screen. He was in disbelief at first. There was no way Tsunami would have a picture like that on his phone.

"Is..." He pauses. Should he really ask about it? What if he was wrong? Imagining things? He shouldn't be worried to ask just a simple question, so he decides to try again. "Is that my picture on your home screen?"

"Hm?" Tsunami looks over to him, stopping mid text as he heard Tachimukai's question. A huge grin was on his face before he gave his answer. "Uh-huh! It is!"

The surfer wastes no time to go back to his home screen, swiping across the screen until there were no apps to cover the background picture he was using. Once that was set, he quickly turned the screen to the brunette.

"Look!" He points to the screen with his free hand. "It was during one of the times I was out surfing and you were just chilling underneath the umbrella. I was going to wake you up when I was done but I just couldn't. Man, you totally look cute when you were sleeping like that. Oh yeah, hope you don't mind that I used it as a home screen thing."

Tachimukai's face flushed upon hearing that, a hand raised to place on his cheek. He knew he was blushing and it was on instinct to try and cover his pink cheeks. "I-I don't mind...I just...Well..." He removed his hand from his cheek, having it now rest upon his other one.

"Well, what?" Tsunami tilted his head to the tone of his voice. He had to worry for a moment if he did something wrong. Should he have asked beforehand? He had intended to, but forgot many times. Maybe he should have taken a picture of him while he was awake instead. "Do you not want your picture there?"

"No! No, I really don't mind it! You can keep it there. I just, umm..." There's a pause as he glances away. "I just think...if you're going to have a picture of me then I should have one of you as my home screen to..."

"Aw man, you can totally have a picture of me then!" Tsunami wrapped an arm around Tachimukai's shoulder, pulling him closer with a grin, now at ease after hearing that response. "Do you want one of me sleeping to? I don't think I can just suddenly snooze right now. I mean, I can try to if you really want one of me like that."

"I'd be happy with any picture of you, Tsunami," Tachimukai answered. "I don't know if you should pose for it or not..." Should it just be more spontaneous? Out of the blue? Just in the moment? He didn't know which would work the best.

"Oh! I have an idea!" Tsunami fiddled with his phone, turning on the camera and then holding it out with his hand, still keeping one around Tachimukai. "Smile for the picture!"

Tachimukai was a little lost at first, but did as was asked of him. He leaned his head against Tsunami's, pink hair brushing against his own brown hair while looking up to the cell phone. There was a flash sound, confirming the picture had been taken. Tsunami held the phone down so both could see the selfie he had taken.

"I'll send it to you and this can be your new home screen picture. Pretty neat, huh? Oh! Does that mean I have to change mine? I'm going to miss cute sleeping Tachimukai..." The surfer gives a small pout to that and that causes a chuckle to escape from the goalkeeper.

"You can keep it, it's fine." It may be a bit flustering to think about (no one had ever had a picture of him as their home screen before), but he was fine with it. After all, he had this new picture of them to keep and look at everyday now. "Maybe one day I will get a picture of you sleeping to."


	30. Just for a Moment

title: Just for a Moment  
characters: Reize/Midorikawa, Pandora/Kinki  
pairing: Reize/Pandora  
summary: Two aliens taking a rather sweet break.  
a/n: hello tumblr request

* * *

"You should be training with the others."

The voice doesn't startle her, surprisingly. It was almost as if she were expecting it, expecting that trying chiding tone. Hearing it makes a grin appear on her face. She remains in place, unmoving from her spot, doesn't even glance over to her approaching captain.

Pandora had taken an unexcused break from the team's training. All she wanted was a moment to get away from the team, their facility. Even extraterrestrials needed a break and a moment of fresh air, or so was her excuse.

(She liked to break away from the team, see the world when they could. After all this was over, there wouldn't be time to appreciate what was around them. And time was ticking. If she were to be caught, get into trouble, she'd pay the price if it meant she could see the world as a human rather than an alien. She would have loved if they got the chance to explore that cold northern area they were supposed to be going to next.)

"And shouldn't you be to?" Her head turns, finally looking up at Reize who had come to 'lecture' her. "I thought you'd be staying with the others. Keeping an eye on them or are you perhaps skipping practice?"

"That is no way to speak to your leader." There was a trying glare, an attempt at a dark look that had failed. "And, as one, I need to be keeping an eye on all of those on my team." He can't be harsh to her. His tone is different, always different, when it came to speaking to anyone on the team compared to those meddling earthlings.

"So, now you've come to keep an eye on me? I'm being good, I promise that I am, Reize."

"I am supposed to send you back with the others..." His persona begins to waver and he tries his best to keep it up and stay in character. He'd been fine for so long- perhaps just being around her makes him want to be his normal self. He wished he could be. "But, I would like to share something with you before doing so."

There's a curious look in her eyes, her body turning to face him, he has her full attention. He stares at her for a moment, keeping his hands behind his back (had they always been there, hiding? she hadn't noticed).

"Earth customs are rather peculiar when they come to...courting." It's hard trying to find the right words to say, to use. What would an alien say in this moment? Maybe he needs to do more research, he should have. But where would he find anything on this? "They aren't the best and are rather primitive at times, but this planet does have rather interesting gifts."

There's a pause as he moves his hands from out behind his back, revealing what he had been hiding. It's a rather small collection of red roses, five of them, trying to look like a small bouquet as they're wrapped in pretty paper and tied with a ribbon. He really wanted to apologize for not getting more, doing something more but it was hard to get away and even be 'human' for a while when they had a mission to focus on.

Pandora lets out a small gasp, wanting to simply shout out 'roses!' and thank him. But, she holds back; aliens wouldn't know what these were. And if he were trying to keep up this little act even now, so would she.

"And, what do these plants have to do with courting?" She asks, while getting to her feet and taking a step towards her captain. Reize holds out the flowers, letting her take them and watching as she curiously inspects one. A finger gently taps at a petal and it nearly looks like she's about to pluck it off (she doesn't).

"They call them roses. They use it as an expression of their love and affection towards another." Even while trying to play it as Gemini Storm's captain, to be intimidating and fierce, he breaks, just a little. His cheeks redden and deep down, he's really hoping that she likes this sudden gift.

"Interesting..."

"Have they- Do you like them?"

"They're earthling artifacts, I would say no," she waits, watching to see if his expression falls, and it does. She's quick to respond after seeing that look on his face. "But, since they're from you, I will keep them safe."

A smile flashes on his face, though it disappears behind who he's supposed to currently be. "Earth has a saying, if I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk through my garden forever."

"Is that really something Reize would say?" She can't help but ask with a light chuckle. "Sounds too mushy."

"...Perhaps he would, to the right person- alien." Reize shrugs.

And just for a moment, they're not aliens, not trying to do anyone's work or worry about the upcoming match. They're just themselves.


	31. Surprise Kiss

title: Surprise Kiss  
characters: Kita Ichiban, Isozaki Kenma  
pairing: kitazaki  
summary: Isozaki finds one new way to kiss Kita.  
a/n: minor character ships! tumblr request

* * *

"Close your eyes." It's said- _demanded_ with a grin. The words had come out of nowhere, a surprise to the other boy standing with Isozaki.

"What?" A look of confusion before Kita shakes his head. "No." He crosses his arms, being defiant in posture and verbally. It was so sudden, too sudden. He didn't like it. "Why do you want me to do that anyway?"

His tongue clicks in playful annoyance. Of course, it wouldn't have been that easy to get him to listen. That doesn't stop him from seeing if he could him to follow this little order. He'd find a way.

"Because I said so. You going to listen to me, or not?" There's no malice in his voice, it almost sounds like an empty threat, a challenge. Isozaki imitates his stance, arms crossed as he looks down upon him.

Kita stares into his eyes, trying to find an answer and what the other might gain from doing this. There had to be _something_ worthwhile in all this, hadn't there? There'd be no other reason for him to bring it up. Or perhaps not. He really just wanted a reason as to why he had to listen to him.

"Just tell me and I'll do it."

Isozaki sighs.

"Come on, it's not going to kill you to give me an answer."

"Well, I was going to surprise you with a kiss, but I guess if you really don't want that..." He intentionally trails off, glancing at the other, wanting to get a look of his face. Kita's eyes had gone wide, cheeks flaring to life. Surprise had crossed his features, a bit of conflict to. It was amazing how he could get him to show off such lovely expressions simply by calmly uttering such words.

(It's totally cute and totally worth it.)

"No! I-" A pause as he covers his mouth for a moment. Does he really want to say he wants that? It's weird to actually say it- admit it, even if they're both aware the answer is 'yes, I would actually love if you kissed me just go on and do it already'. He takes a long look at Isozaki before taking in a breath, dropping his hand, and closes his eyes.

It causes Isozaki to smirk, feeling triumphant over this little 'victory'. Now he could watch as the other waits in anticipation, never knowing when that kiss would be coming.

To Kita, it feels like an eternity passing. Sure, it's only been a few seconds but those begin to feel like minutes that keep stretching on longer and longer. He has to wonder how long he's going to keep him waiting. Maybe he was lying about this. He's beginning to feel stupid and silly for just listening to him after that. He should have known better, really. Maybe he should just open his eyes-

" _Ichiban~_ "

He feels his breath against his cheek and shudders. As tempted as he is to look at him once again, just take a quick peek and even put his arms around the other, he won't. He'll stay true to his word for now.

Now, he swears that he can feel something so close to his lips, a lingering touch. He's definitely not imagining anything. It's hard to resist the urge to lick his lips, though he begins to pucker them up all for-

"Ahh! Ouch!"

-A quick and painful force to be met with his lips. Kita quickly pulls away, hand rubbing his lips as he sees Isozaki with his fingers in the air. He's letting out a low laugh to having just flicked him instead. Kita glares, face flushing in embarrassment.

"I should have known better! Ugh!"

"Don't worry, I was serious about it."

"No, you weren't! If you were, you wouldn't have done that! You're just an as-"

And he's stopped as lips are forced onto his. They don't exactly mash right since Kita had been speaking. He ends up slowly melting into it, hating that he really had been true to giving him a surprise kiss.


	32. Stay

title: Stay  
characters: Gouenji Shuuya, Utsunomiya Toramaru  
pairing: goutora  
summary: Toramaru isn't feeling great and wants Gouenji to stay with him.  
a/n: I've never written these characters idk what I'm doing okay, also request from tumblr

* * *

He doesn't want to say it, doesn't want to feel like he's begging for this. He needs him but saying that would make him feel small, weak. He's supposed to be strong, fearless, cool- just like him. But right now, he doesn't feel any of that. He's wracked with worry, even a little scared.

(He wouldn't admit the last part. Lingering on that makes him fear the worse, makes him think that maybe his mother is feeling a little too sick tonight. She was fine today, but once night fell, she was having so much trouble, overexertion is what they'd say, and he felt frightened. His imagination had run wild with terrible outcomes, more so than usual. All she needed was rest and she'd be okay. He had to tell himself that, he wouldn't accept any other outcome. After all, he was his only family he had.)

Gouenji can tell by the look on Toramaru's face that something is on his mind. He's hesitating on saying their farewells. He had already walked him to the entrance of his home (and restaurant). All he needed to do was say goodbye and he could be on his way back home.

But the younger had just gone silent.

They both knew something was wrong and Toramaru is just trying to decide if he should even ask for this. It was probably asking too much and the other boy wanted to get home. Of course, Toramaru wanted him to stay, he always did, but he couldn't cling to him forever. And now he was stalling, unintentionally, taking up his time when he could be with his sister or catching up with homework or practicing or-

"What's wrong?"

The question pulls him out from his worried spiraling train-wreck of thoughts. He looks up (when had he been looking down- how long?) and meets with the older's dark eyes.

He opens his mouth, shuts it. He recalls words said to him before. _'You can count on me for anything, I mean it. Don't forget that.'_ They're such nice thoughts, makes his heart beat and makes him think, even if only for a moment, that everything is going to be okay.

"If you're not going to tell me-"

"Please," Toramaru interrupts and a quiet apology follows shortly after. He ends up bowing to the other, a habit he hasn't yet gotten rid of, as he asks- states, "stay here tonight."

It wasn't what he was expecting to hear; a request. He was expecting an answer, but this was something he could do. It would help. (He wanted to stay to.)

"I-I'm sorry for asking this so suddenly and if you need to go home, then you can! I shouldn't have imposed, I know you need to get home!" Words began to tumble out of Toramaru's mouth once he realized how 'forceful' that might have sounded. He feels bad and doesn't know whats worse- Gouenji saying no or him being so damn 'rude' to the other.

Receiving no answer, he fears that he may have upset him. Maybe he'll just leave, but his feet haven't moved yet. Suddenly, he feels something on his head. It makes him glance upward, noticing Gouenji's outstretched hand running through his hair. Slowly, he lifts himself.

"I'll stay," he says with a warm smile, a warm look in his eyes accompanying it. A smile begins to form, he's relieved and so happy and soon finds his arms around the other. It was a little childish on his part, to suddenly give him a hug, but he couldn't help it.

"Thank you, Gouenji-san." He hugs, tightly, not wanting to let go. Slowly, he begins to, that smile on his face still there, a shy look now after realizing what he'd done.

"You don't have to thank me," he replies, while stepping back inside. "But, you will tell me what's on your mind, won't you?"

Toramaru bites his lip, still hesitant. He wants to tell him, but... "I'm just not...feeling great."

His first thought upon hearing that instantly goes to Toramaru's mother. If there was one thing that could dampen his mood so easily, it would be her condition. Had it been worse today? She had seemed fine while he was over.

(He makes a mental note to ask if his father could possibly help her out when he returns home. It's not much but they may like the help.)

"I'll do what I can to help you feel better."

"Thank you," his smile widens before blushing to a sudden realization "Ah, uhh...I know this was really sudden and I can't pull out another futon so..." He gulps. God, this was probably worse than telling him to stay! "I-Is it okay if we share...a bed...?"

Sometimes, he forgets how shy the other can get. He could be so fueled and hot-blooded on the field and yet so timid when it concerns something like this.

"It's not a problem, Toramaru."


	33. Tired

title: Tired  
characters: Kariya, Hikaru  
pairings: masahika  
summary: Hikaru falls asleep and so does Kariya.  
a/n:I wrote this without editing and did it in one go so errors ahoy

* * *

He should have gone home. The thought of going home and taking a peaceful nap to reenergize had been on his mind since lunch. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and had been fine in the morning, for a while. But, eventually the lack of sleep had began to take it's toll on Hikaru, leaving him distracted, tired, dozing off. He did his best, really, to stay awake. It took more energy than he thought.

And, he didn't think he'd have to force himself awake for much longer when school had ended...until he recalled that he had agreed to go over to Kariya's place after school to study for an upcoming test. He wanted to ask if they could study another day, but this was the one day they didn't have soccer practice.

It didn't help that Kariya had begun to pout when he had tried to bring it up, say something about how he'd be fine on his own. He hadn't meant it and he had a pleading look in his eyes that went against his words. So, how could he say no?

They had gone to Kariya's room upon arriving, Hikaru had wanted to greet his guardians but they didn't seem to be around. The other had set up the small desk for them to use on the floor, put some pillows as chairs for them to sit on. Eventually, the desk was filled with papers, pencils, hands scribbling answers to practice questions.

Hikaru was doing all he could to stay focused, eyes narrowing onto the papers before him. His vision would go blurry at times and he'd have to rub his eyes. Yawns were constantly trying to escape him and it was so hard to try and hold them back. He found himself reading questions wrong, skipping words, rereading some and having his answers be off due to one of those errors. The worst part was his head beginning to dip and fall to slumber every now and then when he was reading, only to be jolted back up to force himself awake.

"Hey, you okay?"

The question is asked mid-yawn and Hikaru glances over to Kariya, who had moved to sit beside him. When? He hadn't taken notice.

"I am! I'm sorry," he forces a weak smile and a light laughter along with it. "I'm not being a good study partner today..."

"Yeah, you could be, I dunno, asking a bunch of questions and helping me out."

That's how he usually was, curious, asking questions. They helped each other out that way. Almost teaching the subject, the problems back at each other. Some took a little more thinking and practice, but it worked.

"Did you need help with something, Masaki?"

The other boy nods, pulls a paper close and points to one of the questions. He begins to talk and Hikaru's gaze is focused on the paper. He nods along as he reads it aloud, gives his reasoning for the answer, says why another one doesn't make sense. At least, he thinks thats what he's saying. He can really only hear his voice, going on and on. It's not loud or boastful, it's a little bit more quiet, still having that mischievous undertone to it.

His vision begins to narrow, the table becoming smaller and the only thing he can see is the paper and Kariya's hand moving about. Eventually, everything goes dark, his mind goes blank as he hears Kariya continue to speak.

"So, I think the shortcut is better, but they always want to see the whole proce- hey!"

Kariya yelps as he feels something- someone hit his shoulder. At first, he thinks the other had decided to nudge him to stop talking, but when he turns his head and face is met with purple hair, he realizes that isn't the reason.

"Hikaru...?" He utters his name in a whisper, a little concerned as to why he's suddenly resting his head on his shoulder. And oh does realization hit that Hikaru's resting against him. It makes his cheeks flush and he's trying to figure out why the hell is he doing this now of all times.

But, it doesn't take long for him to snap out of his flustered moment to hear the even breathing coming from the other boy. He does all that he can to move his head forward without moving his shoulder to see what's going on. And he finds Hikaru asleep.

He stares for a moment, blinks, lets out an annoyed sigh and tries to get comfortable with this new weight on his shoulder.

"You should have told me you were that tired..." He mumbled under his breath. Kariya had seen the other was tired, but thought it was something an energy bar could fix. Guess that hadn't worked and the other had been even more tired than he let on. He guessed that he was, but when he insisted that he come along, he had gotten happy and just dragged him home.

Maybe he was being a little too selfish. He shouldn't have made him come here, forced him to study when he was this tired. It makes him grow a little frustrated at himself and he has to shrug off the feeling.

Now, he's forced to remain here, unmoving for...who knows how long. He doesn't want to suddenly wake him up, but he doesn't know how long can he stay in one position without moving. Kariya glances over to the clock, checking the time. He'll give the other at least five minutes before he decides to move.

And when the time is up (it was a rather long and boring five minutes), it's harder to move than he thought. He slowly moves his body away from Hikaru, watching the boy slide down. Hikaru doesn't hit the floor though, he makes sure of it.

It's tricky, trying to keep Hikaru from moving too much while also trying to lift him up and not wake him. He guesses that either he's dead tired or he's really good at this. He chooses the latter for the time being. Kariya manages to lift Hikaru up (though its more like dragging) and onto his bed.

When he places a blanket over him, Hikaru begins to shift in place, only clutching onto the ends of the blanket and curling up underneath it. It had made the other boy panic, think he had disturbed him. He sighs in relief when Hikaru is still asleep.

He watches for a moment, making sure that he's okay and then goes back to studying. It's a little weird without him and kinda boring. Kariya wishes he had someone to talk to. Minutes pass and he's getting too bored. He understood most of this subject, minus the one problem he was certain Hikaru knew.

Again, he glances back to the boy in his bed. Maybe Hikaru had the right idea, taking a nap right now didn't sound so bad after all.

~...~

Dark eyes begin to slowly open, his body moves little by little as he does so. Hikaru stretches and finds himself...not where he had been last. He remembers sitting down, studying (or attempting to) and then that was it. He came to the conclusion that he had knocked out and just fell asleep on the floor.

Except, this wasn't the floor. It was softer, a pillow underneath his head, a blanket to cover him from any slight chill, it all made him want to doze right back off to sleep. And he probably would have if he didn't remember that he wasn't in his own home. That thought causes him to open his eyes, wide.

He jolts up in bed, quickly looking to the desk to find Kariya, but he isn't there. He instantly has to think of apologies and how falling asleep (rather than studying) at his home was so rude of him.

"Masa...ki?" He tries to call out for him and a response is given. A muffled grunt beside him in bed.

Hikaru's head turns and finds Kariya having lying beside him in bed. He sees the other waking up already, rubbing his eyes and propping himself on an elbow. He looks sleepy, eyes glancing up at Hikaru.

They stare at each other for a moment. Kariya taking a moment to wake up, remember what had happened before his cheeks flare up. It makes Hikaru's cheeks flush as well, though he's hardly aware of it. There's an awkward silence until Kariya sits up in bed.

"You fell asleep," he states.

"I...guess I did," Hikaru replies, looking down. "I didn't fall asleep in your bed though."

"I moved you here. I couldn't just let you sleep on the floor. I could for you falling asleep so suddenly like that though."

"Oh, thank you! You didn't have to, you could have woken me up."

"You would have just fallen back asleep," he waves a hand, pushing the blankets off him, and a bit off Hikaru as well. "Anyway, next time you want to nap or whatever, you could tell me ahead of time."

"B-But..." How is he supposed to bring that up? Could he even ask to use his bed to sleep in? That seemed a little too much. "Ah!" Hikaru lets out a yelp before jumping out of his bed, somehow not getting tangled up with the blanket over him. "I didn't mean to keep using your bed!"

Kariya clicks his tongue to his reaction. Hadn't he realized he slept in it? What was a few extra moments afterwards? "It's fine." Now it's his turn to get off the bed, slowly this time. "Anyway, it's getting late now and we didn't study that much."

"It's my fault for that," Hikaru sighed out, looking to the papers still on the desk.

"Whatever. You'll just have to help out tomorrow after practice," Kariya says with a shrug. "For now..." He pauses, scratching the back of his head. "Do you...want to stay for dinner? I-It's already late and you don't have to, but you probably should anyway."

"I can't, I mean..." He couldn't deny this offer even if he already over stayed his welcome. "...will it be okay with-?"

"It'll be fine," he cuts him off. "They like you anyway."

"Really?" Hikaru's eyes sparkled upon hearing that. He usually felt like a burden for whenever he was an unexpected guest staying a little longer at Kariya's place.

"Yeah. Anyway, I just have to tell them you're staying." He knows he might be told something for it being so last minute and it being already late. He really does hope that he's not going to be asked why Hikaru was here later than usual and that neither Hiroto or Midorikawa had taken a peak in his room while they had been sleeping...together...on the same bed.

Kariya's face goes red to that line of thought. They had both been so close and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought of hugging the other as he tried to fall asleep (it would have helped him fall asleep faster if his heart wouldn't be thumping so much against his chest).

"But you can't tell anyone about us sleeping together!" Kariya shouts out suddenly and that doesn't come out the way he would have liked. "I mean- you know! You didn't sleep here, okay?"

Hikaru nods quickly to that. "I won't! I'll keep it a secret!"

That manages to put Kariya at ease, somewhat. Sleeping beside Hikaru is still going to be on his mind, but at least no one else would know of this happening. Maybe it's dumb to make this a secret, it's not that scandalous, unless if someone gets the wrong idea, but he'd rather avoid any stupid gossip. "It'll be our secret."


	34. Strength

title: Strength  
characters: Endou Mamoru, Kazemaru Ichirouta  
pairings: enkaze  
summary: Kazemaru just needs some support and gets it from Endou.

* * *

"Kazemaru?"

He hears his name being called and instantly jolts, freezes in place. He tries, desperately to hold his breath, to be silent. He just couldn't bare to look at him, not now, not with tears streaming down his face. God, he'd look so pathetic in front of him and that was something he didn't need right now.

"Are you okay?"

Those words make him want to turn around, face him, hug him for support. But no, he's supposed to be strong, he has to be. He can stand on his own, doesn't need to rely on anyone. He takes in a breath, he sniffles, and he knows he's just given away his current state.

"Are you...crying?"

"I'm _not._ "

His response is fast, it sounded like he was snapping at the other. Kazemaru imagined him jumping to that reply and he wished to apologize to him. The apology doesn't slip out and he regrets it hanging on the tip of his tongue.

"Kazemaru..."

"Please, Endou... _I'm fine_."

He hates pushing him away, hates it. If there's anything he wants to do right now, it's the opposite. He wants to rest his head on his shoulder, cry, let out all this pain that had been welling up inside him. But how pathetic and weak would he look then? How would Endou see him then? Some big crybaby, some weakling who wasn't fit for the team.

Endou doesn't speak again and he's glad. He knows that he'd snap at him again, tell him to leave. It's stupid, he's stupid for wanting to do so. It makes his chest hurt, makes him want to cry even more. Holding in these feelings are always so painful. Today, it seemed far worse.

Kazemaru can hear a low hum, Endou wanting to say something. He's tempted to glance back, but then he knows he'd see that worried look, those eyes so warm and so full of concern. He'd melt, fall immediately. He couldn't look at him, not now.

"Ah-!"

The defender lets out a gasp. Arms wrap around him from behind and he's pulled back. His body meets with another's, Endou's. They're squished together thanks to the goalkeeper tightly hugging him. It almost feels a little too tight, like he's afraid to let go.

"E-Endou?!"

His name comes out of his mouth, head turns slightly. He couldn't see his face, but felt it being pressed against the back of his neck. It sends a shiver down his spine, realizing how close they are and how warmth was radiating off the other's body.

"It's okay, Kazemaru."

His voice is quieter than usual, softer. It's not loud and full of energy, cheerful like how he's used to. It's so...different. But, he likes it. He hates that fact.

"I don't know what's wrong, but I'm here for you."

There's a lump in his throat. He should have expected this, should have known this was coming. Endou wanted to help and he could push him away, try to, but in the end, he knows how futile it would be. This boy was just so damn stubborn sometimes.

"If you want to tell me anything, you can. You know you're my best friend, right? I want you to be happy."

They're simple words from a simple boy. Kazemaru sniffles, tries to hold back that smile thats just breaking through his tears. He feels so stupid. He'd been feeling down only seconds ago and now his heart was lifting thanks to him. He really did have a magical healing power about him.

"I know I can, Endou."

He could tell him anything, he knew that. He could rely on him. When he's feeling weak, he made him stronger. He could count on him for support, no matter what. Even if he didn't want to all the time, it would be alright to lean on him (literally or figuratively) every now and then.

"Thank you."


	35. Don't Leave

title: Don't Leave  
characters: Minaho Kazuto, Manabe Jinichirou  
pairing: minamana  
summary: Manabe gets too worried about Minaho's work.  
a/n: tumblr request!

* * *

He always kept that smile on his face, somehow. It was something Manabe could never understand, how he could just wear it so damn easily no matter the situation. Sometimes it irked him, sometimes he admired it. He could only really come to the conclusion that it was just how he was. But sometimes, he really did wish it wasn't worn so easily.

"How can you not be worried?" Manabe asks, raising his voice. He could almost hear the crack of panic slipping out.

"It'll be fine," Minaho reassures, "I've done this before. It'll be just like any other case, really."

Manabe is aware of that, but hearing it doesn't make this any easier. He adjusts his glasses, an excuse to look away from him for the time being.

"I don't know how you can manage to put so much confidence in yourself," he mutters out.

Minaho tilts his head, that smile still there, unable to leave his face. He takes small steps towards the other, eyes trying to read his expression. "This is bothering you more than usual." The first sign was that outburst, the second was his avoiding gaze, his shaking fists, how hard he was trying to keep his cool. "I don't know why it is- care to tell me?"

"I thought you'd be able to figure it out," he scoffs. Perhaps not. While he could read people, he wasn't the mind reader he hoped to be.

"I have some reasons."

 _Of course you would._

"But, I know you'd hate for me to spout them and say the correct one." He was fully aware that his habit could be...a tad annoying. So, he'd try his best not to do it too often, but old habits die hard.

Manabe holds his breath and lets it out with a sigh. "I..." God, how could he put this together? He wasn't thinking clearly right now. "I know what happened to your father. About his...accident."

He disliked being so blunt about this subject, but there was no other way he could say it. Minaho had never told him about how his father had passed away and out of curiosity and a little bit of research, he had found out. He had regretted doing so the moment after he had processed that information.

"He passed away during his work, on case, and..." Manabe bit at his lip, not wanting to continue. He could already see the images of Sakyou on the papers being replaced with images of Kazuto.

And what would he do if that were to happen? He couldn't fathom the thought. It wasn't a simple error that could be rewritten, losing a life was permanent. And to lose his, someone so important in his life...he was scared.

"I...I don't want to be alone. I don't want you to leave me," he somehow manages to say. It's hard and he can feel himself choking up over it. God, he doesn't want to end up crying over this; he rubs his eyes to make sure no tears had fallen past him.

Minaho frowns, not that the other can see it with his head dipped down. This was not something he could have predicted, neither him reading up on his father's passing nor being so bothered that he'd literally be following him in his footsteps to his grave. He sighs, letting that smile return on his face before taking another step forward and wrapping his arms around the other. He hears a surprise gasp and can't help but chuckle softly to it.

"I won't leave you alone, I promise," he says, quietly. Minaho remains in this embrace, waiting until he feels Manabe loosening up. When he pulls back, he can still see the other doing his best to hold back those tears. "I'll stay by your side for all eternity, for as long as we're on this earth- and other planets."

Manabe looks to him, grabs onto his hands with his own. He feels better after hearing that. It eases his heart, but knows it won't stop him from worrying every now and then. For now, he's relieved.

"Besides, I'd be a terrible Sherlock to leave my Watson behind."

"...You are aware that I've read the books as well and I swear if you try to fake your death-"

"I won't, I won't! I promise I won't do that either!"

Manabe has to stare at him, look at his playful way of defending himself. And he ends up smiling (finally).


	36. I'm With You

title: Distance  
characters: Shindou Takuto, Tsurugi Kyousuke  
pairing: kyoutaku  
summary: it's almost time for Shindou to leave the country.  
a/n: tumblr request!

* * *

It wasn't sudden news, nothing new. He had already told Tsurugi this before, he was the first to know. His parents had spoken to him about it, told him that his education would be better across the seas and he wasn't one to deny that fact. Especially when the focus would be more on his musical career rather than his football one.

Shindou didn't seem bothered by it, not at first. He heard talk about it when he was younger and knew that his time to leave Japan would be coming soon. It had been in the back of his mind until a year ago, when his parents had brought it up and finalized this decision. He'd have a year to spend in Japan and a year seemed to be like a long time. But, with school and sports and everything in between, time began to pass in the blink of an eye. And now, he only had one more week left.

Realization of it was slowly dawning upon him. It really started to hit in this final month, with friends wanting to spend time with him, asking for contact information. Now, it was hard to ignore the fact that he'd be moving thanks to the boxes in his room.

Tsurugi had offered to help, though it was more like he insisted. Shindou figured it was a way to spend more time with him. Of course, he told the striker he didn't have to, but he had made it clear he would.

So, he had come over to Shindou's home, nonchalantly walking into his room and looking at the unfolded boxes, at Shindou as he tried to decide what was needed for his travels and what he could leave behind.

The striker was assigned to put some books away, some clothes. Every now and then he'd glance at Shindou to see if he was alright and that he wasn't acting any...different. He seemed fine, more in his own little world of making the right decisions. It's like he wasn't bothered by this move at all, at leas on the surface.

"Let's take a break," Shindou was the one to say it after an hour of work.

Tsurugi nodded, heading towards the couch in his room, taking a seat beside the other. He looks out to the room, taking in the sight. It wasn't messy but not filled with the pianist's touch anymore. He knew the other wasn't taking everything, he'd be making trips back for holidays and other visits, but it was still lacking compared to how it used to be.

(He recalls jokingly asking if the pianist would try to pack his piano with him overseas. The fact that Shindou had hesitated on giving a response had made the younger chuckle, a rare sight.)

"Can you believe it's almost time?" Tsurugi speaks up as he glances over to Shindou.

"Truthfully, it feels as if it were just yesterday I told you I'd be leaving..." He replies. His gaze remains on the room, eyes distant, lost in thought. His lips remain in a thing line, neither sad nor happy. "Time really does fly, doesn't it?"

"Hmm." Tsurugi nods, quiet. There's a lot he wants to say, tell him that he'll miss him. That things would be weird without him around. But it doesn't feel right telling him this now. That's better left for the day when he'll actually leave and god that's really coming up soon, isn't it?

"I don't want to be alone."

It was a sudden statement that causes Tsurugi to turn and look to Shindou. His gaze had turned down, looking to his hands resting in his lap.

"You won't be."

Shindou turns his head slightly, raising a brow to him. He doesn't need to ask him to continue with that expression he's wearing.

"You'll have the team with you, figuratively."

"I wouldn't have ever guessed that after," he replies with a hint of sarcasm. It makes Tsurugi roll his eyes.

"And you'll have me. Not literally, but I'll keep in touch."

Shindou's thin lips turn into a small smile. He reaches out and puts a hand over Tsurugi's.

"I know. I want to do my best to keep in touch with you as well. Time differences might be a hurdle, but I plan to talk to you as much as possible. It's just..." His hand squeezes the other's. "It's different. Here, I have so many people with me, at home and at school. Being in a new country with no one familiar...I don't know if I'll get used to it." A sigh. "I would have loved for you to come with me."

But Tsurugi belonged here, with the team. He had a future here. Possibly out in the world to, but for now, his place was here, with Raimon.

"Sometimes I worry that I might not make any friends there. Perhaps they'd find me strange for being a foreigner and who could I turn to then? I won't even have Aria or Lute with me. I know you'll say I'm overthinking and that I'll do fine, but...it'll be hard."

"I still believe you can do it," he replies, sandwiching Shindou's hand and facing him. "Even if you do need a lot of encouragement from me, I'll make sure you survive out there."

"That doesn't sound very encouraging," he huffs.

"But it helps a bit, doesn't it?"

"It...does." A pause. "You know, I never thought you'd be the one to throw some type of we'll be in your heart speech at me. I think the team really has rubbed off on you," Shindou says with a light chuckle.

Tsurugi's cheeks flare up for a moment and he glances away. "It's just to help you get through this..."

Shindou smiles softly, taking this chance to lean towards him and press his lips against his cheek. "I know. Thank you, Kyousuke."


	37. Exhaustion

title: Exhaustion  
characters: aphrodi, fubuki shirou  
pairings: afufubu  
summary: Aphrodi is tired and gets a surprise visit.  
a/n: tumblr request!

* * *

Aphrodi let out a deep sigh as he sat on the bench, running a hand through his hair. His eyes went to the clipboard beside him to the field, watching the team practice. It was heartwarming to see them working together, nothing like how they were when he was first assigned to them. Comparing them from then to now, it always made him smile to see them come together.

And he'd be happier if he wasn't feeling so damn tired. The past few days had been terribly hectic. They were filled with meetings, him running around with last minute paperwork, trying to contact family, and finally trying to put something together to determine if the latest soccer players would have what it takes to be on the team. It had left him with little time to himself.

The thought of leaving practice was tempting, but he had decided against it. The team would be fine on their own, he trusted them not to slack off for practice. Though, he couldn't just abandon his duties because he was overworked. It was his duty to remain here, keep an eye on them, mentor them when needed.

But it was so difficult to keep his eyes open and focused on the team. He could feel himself ready to doze off. And maybe it was just his imagination, but the team seemed to be pausing and chatting more often than usual. They could just be talkative today, possibly talking about classes, exams, hissatsus, other things. Nothing to worry about.

The man holds back a yawn, or tries to. It doesn't work as he ends up covering his mouth and yawning anyway. God, he wished he was at home and in bed right now, gaining all the sleep he had lost in the past few days.

"Wow, you look exhausted."

It's a blunt comment that startles him. On instinct, he straightens up, tries to act as if he hadn't been yawning and wears a serious, studious expression as he turns to face the other.

"I am not. I'm just- Shirou!" Aphrodi gasps out his name, jumping to his feet (somehow mustering the energy for that). He could hardly believe his eyes, having to rub them, poke at the other male's cheek and then take his hand to confirm that he was really standing before him and that this wasn't some dream he manifested in his tired state.

"Hello, Terumi," Fubuki smiles as he holds onto his hand. "Sorry that was so sudden, but I've never seen you so worn out before."

"Oh, I'm not that worn out," he says, tries to act like he's full of energy as usual. His free hand plays with the lock of hair that's hanging over his shoulder. The blondie gives him a playful look, but he doesn't have the energy to pull it off and he can immediately tell that Fubuki isn't buying his act.

"You are. You can't hide that from me. Besides, I know you've been busy the last few days."

"How?"

"Well, for starters, you haven't been texting me as often as you usually do." He figured he was busy due to that but couldn't have guessed how busy. "And second," he stops and points to the field, "your team noticed your lack of spirit lately. They thought I might be able to help you regain it."

Aphrodi turns his head to look over to the team. They had stopped in their tracks to watch the two converse, but once their coach had looked towards them, they had all rushed to get back to practice, wanting to seem innocent to this act.

"Those boys..." He shakes his head and lets out a sigh, but can't help but smile. "I shouldn't have worried them, or you. I'm sorry, you didn't have to come all the way out here, Shirou. I know it's not the trip here isn't the shortest."

"But I had to come here for you..." He wears a worried expression. "Besides, I want to make sure you get some rest. And the team already said they were okay with it."

The coach gives him a quizzical look. Just what had his team been planning behind his back with his boyfriend? He'd really have to look into this further when he was more energized and make sure they don't plan any surprised like this again (but he had to admit this was sweet of the team, they were looking out for him instead).

Fubuki smiles at him, there's a hint of mischievousness hiding behind it. And before he knows it, the silver haired male has tugged on his hand, pulling him close. He uses this moment of surprise in his favor, lets go of his hand and reaches out to lift Aphrodi in his arms. He makes sure to have an arm under his legs, the other against his back, keeping him against his body.

"Sh-Shirou!" Aphrodi yelps, quickly holding onto the other.

"You're safe in my arms, I won't let you down." It's such a smooth line and it takes a moment to realize just what he said- and he swears he can feel his heart melt.

"I can't believe you're doing this in front of the team," he replies with a slight chuckle, deciding to rest his head against Fubuki.

"It's not that bad. I'd think kissing in front of them would have caught more attention. And you were the one to initiate that," Fubuki reminds him.

"Oh, I can't believe you're blaming poor old me for being scandalous in front of children!" He gasps and pretends to be offended. "Now you're the one initiating something so...romantic?"

"Well, I don't think you'd come home so willingly if I just took your hand. This seemed like a better solution. And if you need to take a nap you won't fall to the ground so suddenly." Fubuki smiles, leans down to give him a quick kiss to his forehead. He then turns to the team. "I'm taking your coach home! Be sure to finish practicing!"

Aphrodi looks over, watches the team and how they're so unfazed by this. He's going to have to lecture them about doing this before their next practice.

"Does this mean you're going to sleep with me?" Aphrodi asks, giving him a playful and tired wink.

"You're going to sleep and I'm going to make sure you do."

"With me?"

"Someone has to make sure you stay in bed and I doubt you'd let me sleep on the couch."

Aphrodi looks up to him and smiles. He forces himself up and returns the early kiss, pecking him on the cheek. "You know me so well, Shirou."


	38. Broken Trust

title: Broken Trust  
characters: nagumo haruya, suzuno fuusuke  
summary: Nagumo is angry over Suzuno's decision.  
a/n: tumblr request!

* * *

Suzuno really hadn't wanted to turn to Hiroto for help. Asking him for any type of advice always made him felt as if he lost to him, proving that he was lower to him in some form. The other never saw it that way, he knew, and he wasn't sure if that made things any better. He was helpful, too helpful. It irked him.

The boy let out a sigh as he walked away from the training grounds. It pained him to admit that the advice he sought from him for soccer was, well, perfect. He felt stupid for not seeing such a clear answer before compared to how easily Hiroto has suggested it. His tongue clicks in annoyance, telling himself he could have found the answer without his help (maybe not as soon as he did but eventually).

"Suzuno!"

Hearing his name brings him out of his thoughts. His head tilts up, looking forward and is greeted with an angry Nagumo. It wasn't an unusual sight, seeing the other agitated by...whatever was on his mind this time, but he didn't particularly want to deal with his sour mood right now.

"What is it, Nagumo?" He asks with a sigh.

"You!" Nagumo points at him, index finger just inches away from the other's nose. It makes him take a slight step back. "You went to go and ask _him_ for help, didn't you?"

"What?" Mentally, he cursed. "I don't know what you're talking about." He decides to try and play it cool, run a hand through his hair before having his arms crossed.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Nagumo shouts, voice steadily growing louder. He pulls his hand back, balling them into angry fists. "I saw you go off and talk with that loser!"

Another curse passes his thoughts. He really couldn't fool his way out of this one. This was the last thing he wanted the other to be aware of. If only he had taken into account that Nagumo might have been searching for him as well. (He makes a mental note to simply text Hiroto if he has problems next time.)

"Fine. I was talking to him. But only to ask hi-"

"I thought I could trust you!" He shouts, cutting him off and stomping his foot. "You're not supposed to turn to anyone else! We're supposed to be working together! We don't need anyone else's help!"

Suzuno blinks, a look of surprise passes his face. He holds back a sigh, glancing elsewhere. He really hadn't expected Nagumo to be so...hurt by this? He hadn't meant to break that unspoken promise of theirs (he guessed that's what they could call it), but had he really?

"I just...I thought-" He stops, does he really need to explain himself? "Nagumo, you're overreacting to this."

"I am not!" Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. They had both agreed to being a team and work together, no matter what. They didn't need to turn to the others- they were going to be _better_ than them. And here Suzuno was, going and asking their rivals for help. Couldn't he have come to him instead? "You're just a god damn weak snowball! I don't need you!"

Suzuno flinches upon hearing that. He's fully aware the other is just angry, saying things he doesn't mean. He needs to cool down, but even so he didn't have to say such hurtful comments. It only made him want to bark back. "Like you're any better! You were the one to come to me for help in the first place!"

"No, I- ugh!" Nagumo growls, frustrated, knowing the other is right. He lets out an agitated groan as he runs his hands through his flaming hair. "Whatever! Just go and bother with you other dumb friends instead! I'm fine on my own!" He huffs out. The boy turns on his feet and darts off immediately.

"Nagumo, wait!" Suzuno shouts and takes a step forward, hand reaching out to him as if he could just grab onto the other and pull him back. But, he's already too far- and would running after him really do any good? His hand drops to his side, remains there and looks down.

"I'm sorry, Nagumo..."

 _'I'm sorry, Suzuno...'_


	39. What am I to you?

title: What am I to you?  
characters: shindou takuto, ibuki munemasa  
pairing: munetaku  
summary: Ibuki asks a 'simple' question.  
a/n: tumblr requesto

* * *

"What am I to you?" Ibuki had asked, breathless, the moment their lips had parted. It wasn't something that he wanted to ask, possibly something that had been lingering in the back his mind. But, somehow the question had slipped past his lips and been brought to light.

Shindou had to take a moment, repeat the question that was asked mentally, and put his thoughts together. His eyes went from the taller's lips, traveling up to meet with his eyes.

There was a serious look in Ibuki's gaze- he wanted an answer. He always wanted one, just a reason behind anything he had done. Perhaps it was a habit from when they had first met. But things were different now- they were different.

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Shindou asks back. He's not sure if he should take a step away, to move from Ibuki. It's difficult to consider when his hands had been resting on his hips, the brunette's own hands on his shoulders. The goalkeeper could easily just hold onto him and keep him in one place until he gives an answer.

"I just want to know," Ibuki responds, bluntly, straight to the point.

"Don't tell me that you're worried that I might be interested in someone else." That was his first concern. He could see the other grow rather troubled if he had given someone else more attention than him. It seemed like such a silly thing to be worried about. Shindou had chose him to be with, and that's how things would remain (he hoped, he didn't like the thought of separating from him at the moment).

Ibuki shakes his head in response, a small smirk forming as he spoke, "I'm not. Why would you leave _me_ for someone else?"

It was easy to see that overconfidence return, even in just his tone. How he managed to say something like that after asking his initial question...he'd never know.

"Ibuki..." His tone is reminiscent of when he'd be ready to scold the other. It makes the taller tilt his head, looking at him curiously, waiting for an answer.

And it's hard to form one. What was he to him? A teammate, a friend, a lover. Those were the basic answers he could give, but none of them felt _right_ to say. There had to be a way to articulate his feelings to the other. His grip on Ibuki's shoulders tighten, grasping onto the fabric.

"You're a lot of things to me," he starts, glancing away. No, he had to say this to him. His eyes move to meet with his once more. "You're someone I can rely on, a person I can turn to. You can be like the music that surrounds me, always there and able to support me. You're just...someone I can't be without. You're a person who is part of my present...and my future."

His cheeks were tinted with a slight blush. He hardly knew what he was saying, just wanting to put words together in hopes that they'd sound perfect. He figured that playing him a piece of music would have been easier.

Ibuki stares for a moment, a smile inching on his lips. He leans down, pushing his lips to Shindou's for another kiss. It was probably the best answer he could ever ask for, even if it sounded like a lot to him. He was important to Shindou and that's what mattered the most.

Still, he can't help but grin as they part again. "You know, you could have just said your boyfriend, right?"

Shindou goes silent and gives him a look that screems 'you can't be serious'. After a moment, he pushes himself away from Ibuki, turning his back to face him.

"Hey! I was only joking!"

"I forgot to add that you're my idiot to."


	40. One in the Same

title: One in the Same  
characters: saginuma osamu, aphrodi  
pairings: saginuma x aphrodi  
summary: Sometimes you say the wrong things and hope to make them better.  
a/n: request again from you know where

* * *

He hadn't seen the expression the other had made, it was impossible over the phone. Truthfully, he didn't think that the angelic boy was capable of even making such a distraught look, imagining it was unthinkable (and if he ever did make such a face, god, would he give anything to make sure that never happened again). But he could hear how wounded the other sounded over this, over him finding out about his past.

"So...now you know."

That was the last thing Saginuma heard as it was followed by a single click.

"Afuro!" He had shouted, hoping that maybe he hadn't hung up on him, that he'd be able to hear his voice. Yet, looking to his cell had confirmed it. His teeth clenched in frustration, regret welling up inside him.

He shouldn't have brought that up, not over the phone. But, he would have thought Aphrodi was over it by now- his time when he had to rely on another power instead of his own. Perhaps it still bothered him, his responses hand't made it seem so, at first. Either way, he didn't have time to mull over this. Thinking would get him nowhere.

So, Saginuma begins to run, destination already in mind. Aphrodi was at home, or he hoped he would be. It was a chance he was willing to take. If he wasn't there, then he'd go back to his phone (already he was thinking of concerned text messages to send if all else failed).

When he had come to Aphrodi's residence, he hadn't hesitated to run up and knock upon the door. As he waited for a response, he took this chance to catch his breath. He hadn't expected to move this fast, end up here so soon. His eyes glanced over to the windows in an attempt to find the blonde. And, luckily for him, he managed to catch him- his hair flowing behind as he passed by a window.

 _'He's home, thank god.'_

"Open the door!" He shouts, loud enough so that Aphrodi would be able to hear. He waits for a response, an answer, anything (he nearly expects to hear a childish 'no one's home!'). But, there's nothing. Only silence.

Then there's footsteps coming close to the door. They stop, but he's certain that Aphrodi is there, standing only inches away from him, beyond this wooden barrier.

"You are aware that you aren't the only one with a terrible past, aren't you?" Saginuma starts, unsure of what prompted him to say this. Perhaps doing so would make him feel better, to know that he wasn't alone. That he had also made foolish mistakes in the past.

"Sometimes, I think about how I was, how I was consumed by another entity, a ferocious beast who only lusted for power. I relied on it so much, thinking that I needed it. Of course, now I can clearly see the errors of my way, but at the time I truly thought it was the only path for me. My thoughts didn't seem to be my own, but that is just an excuse to use. It wasn't right, but I fell down that road nevertheless. I wish I hadn't and yet...I don't. That time had changed me for the better- I've grown."

He goes on and finally stops. He waits, hoping he'd respond after that rambling. With the lack of one, he decides to continue.

"I do not blame you or think ill of you for what you have done. Truthfully, I believe my choice may have been worse than yours. I had done much more damage to the world and to those I know. If anyone needs to be ashamed of their past, it should be me. Afuro...I wish for you not to be hard on yourself. And if you need someone to lean on or speak about past matters, please, I want you to know that-"

He's cut off as the door is swung open to reveal Aphrodi. He can't read his expression, the look on his face covered by his golden bangs. But, the next second the angelic boy has moved, taken steps forward and has arms wrapped around Saginuma in a tight embrace.

It's surprising, leaves him stunned and frozen in time. Eventually, he puts an arm around him, the other raised to pat his head. He hopes it's comforting and helps soothe his troubled mind.

"You didn't have to come all the way here," Aphrodi speaks, burrowing his head against his shoulder. His voice sounds lighter, better than earlier. "Thank you."


	41. Exploration

title: Exploration  
characters: Yoshimine Misaki, Wanda Naoto  
summary: Wanda decides to take Yoshimine to one of his supernatural places.  
a/n: requesto mundo

* * *

It's not like he wanted to be here in the first place. He had been dragged along by Wanda to go and explore some nearby abandoned building. Stories had intrigued the other boy enough to get him to venture here. He should have known better to come along. Nothing good ever happened whenever these explorations were underway.

And he really did regret being dragged along. Seeing the building in it's dilapidated state was a big warning, a sign that they should be turning around and find another- safer place to explore. But, it hadn't deterred Wanda away. It seemed to excite him even more, enough to take Yoshimine's wrist and drag him inside, ignoring his protests.

Yoshimine had eventually pulled his wrist free, rubbing it as they began to step further inside. He looked around the building, trying to find anything...exciting. There was hardly anything here, from what he could see- what were they supposed to be looking for again?

"We should split up," Wanda announced. "We'd cover more ground that way."

"You're not serious are you?" He asked in return. "You know splitting up in one of these situations never fares well."

"Oh? Are you just saying that because you're scared? I thought you were as fearless as a shark."

The boy huffs and turns his head. "Don't use that against me...we're not on the field, this is completely different..."

Wanda just smiles at him, ready to use that against him again if needed. Yoshimine stares, fails to think of anything to say and sighs.

"Fine, you win."

He knows he's going to regret this, more than he already. Wanda keeps that smile on his face before darting off without another word. It's...surprising to see how fast he'd gone off. Was this part of the plan? That whatever he wanted to investigate here?

Next time, he'll pay attention to what he's spouting off. For now, he's here to look around for anything unusual. But it's hard to find anything in this empty, creaking, and smelly building. He didn't even have a map of the place! And maybe its cliche for him but he'd definitely prefer to be investigating an old run down boat over this place.

"Wanda," he calls out, hoping for a response. He'd pass by the whole first floor and found nothing. He didn't exactly have the same enthusiasm the other had for this type of thing and without Wanda around, he found his low interest wavering even more.

"Wan-"

Before he can finish, something hits him, he's not sure what, but something hits his body and he immediately panics. It makes him want to run straight out of here, forgetting about the other (not really he'd come back for him just after he recovers), and getting to safety. A yell was just about to escape from his mouth- that should alert the other whether he liked it or not.

Just as he was about to, he looked over to what had hit him. In this second, he say familiar turquoise hair, the same uniform he still had on and realized that he had no reason to call out for Wanda any longer. The other had tried to spook him, deciding that ramming him out of the blue to be the best way to do so.

Wanda looks up, grinning and knowing how terrified the other had been and god the look on his face irked him. He could already hear the other pointing out his sudden fear right now.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Yoshimine snaps. "It's your fault anyway!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he sneers. "I didn't do a thing."

Yoshimine strikes a glare at the other, waiting for him to admit what he'd done. But he doesn't. Instead, he tries for a distraction.

"Okay, so how about we go and I get you something to eat?"

"...Don't you want to, I don't know, find your ghost or something?"

"Spirit. But I'll come back another time. So, what do you say?"

"Let's get out of here already."


	42. Face to Face

title:  
characters: fudou akio, gouenji shuuya (ishido)  
pairing: goufu  
summary: Confronting the Holy Emperor doesn't really go as planned, not that he knew what to do in the first place.  
a/n: requested!

* * *

"Why did you come here?" It's a blunt, strict question. Gouenji- Ishido, whatever the hell he wanted to go by these days, remains upon his seat, his _throne_ , unmoving and staring down at the one who dared to enter his domain.

"Just came to see how your new place is," Fudou responds with a nonchalant shrug. He didn't like being here, surrounded by Fifth Sector and their stupid peons. Nothing here _felt_ right.

He wasn't supposed to be here, he knew. He'd been told countless times not to come here on his own, not to waltz in here to meet with _him_. But, what did he care? They should have known better than to leave him to his own devices.

His gaze rests upon the Holy Emperor, waiting for some type of response back. Fudou missed the little bark backs, but it didn't seem like the other was interested in doing so. It left a weird feeling in his gut, he wouldn't let it show.

"I doubt that's the only reason you came." Ishido shifts in his seat, crossing one leg over the other, his head resting against his knuckles. "You came for something else. It has to do with what's going on, correct?"

Fudou clicks his tongue, shoves his hands into his jacket's pockets. How the hell could he be so damn calm at a time like this? "Yeah, cuz everything is work related, isn't it?" He spat out, rolled his eyes.

There was a flash of irritation in Ishido's eyes. His old self was still there, whether he wanted to admit it or not. He knows, they both do.

"If you really have no business, then I suggest you leave." It's supposed to sound like a threat. Maybe it is one. A weak one.

Fudou would have laughed any other time the other would have said something like this. As if that was intimidating coming from him. Perhaps it worked on others, but it would never work on him. And to show it, he walks forward, up those steps to stand right before the Holy Emperor himself. He easily drowns out the gasping of his little henchmen, the demands that he should get away from 'his holiness'.

Ishido doesn't flinch, head only tilts up so their eyes can meet. Silence fills the air and it's nauseating. Fudou's fists clench and he glares at him.

"Please," that's silent, a whisper for only the emperor to hear, "just talk to me." It's a weak demand and he's glad that no one else they know is around to hear his faltering voice. "Just tell _me_ what the hell is wrong with you?"

His expression never wavers, but the look in his eyes do. It lasts only for a few seconds, but something is there, something familiar. It gives Fudou hope, hope that he could pull the other back and to his goddamn senses. But, it's a fleeting light and he looses sight of it once his eyes shut.

"There's nothing wrong with me. I'm fully aware of what I'm doing." It's such a cold, distant response- it pisses him off even more.

"Don't give me that shit!" He barks and nearly stomps on his resting foot. "I know _you_ and I know you wouldn't have done this unless something happened to you."

The room falls silence once again. A heated glare is only met with a cold gaze.

(Maybe they were right, Fudou thinks. Maybe he shouldn't have come here.)

"Then perhaps you don't know me that well," Ishido says, cutting through the silence as he waves a hand. "Get him out of here."

Hearing that leaves Fudou stunned. Emotions are boiling, swirling inside and he doesn't know what to do. He's so close to throwing a punch at the emperor, but is stopped as he feels hands on each of his arms. He instantly pulls himself free, not bothering to look at his little henchmen as he does so. He could see himself out of here.

"Don't come crying to me when you regret all this."


	43. Come back

title: Come back  
characters: tsurugi kyousuke, lalaya obies  
pairing: kyoulala  
summary: They'll soon be parted but perhaps they'll meet again.  
a/n: guess what this is- a request!

* * *

Time was ticking and she knew that her moments with the human boy were passing by. She didn't want to say goodbye, not after what he had done for her, not after the time they had spent together. But, their goodbye was inevitable, he had to return home eventually. Tsurugi couldn't stay on her planet forever.

(Even if she wished it- willed it, it was nothing more than a fleeting dream.)

He belonged on Earth, with his friends, family. Lalaya had seen him interacting with his team after all had been resolved. He was happy with them, even if he didn't smile as brightly as some of the other humans, it shined just enough that she knew he was enjoying himself. The sight had made her chest warm, although realizing that she would no longer be able to see such a look had the opposite affect.

But, there was still time left. It was little, but enough. She wanted to find Tsurugi before all they had disappeared right before their eyes. Fate seemed to be on her- their side. Each had been searching out for each other and had let their paths cross.

Her eyes had lit up, a smile quickly striking her face. "Tsurugi!" She chirped, nearly running over to the boy's side. The smile she wears isn't forced, that she's thankful for. The very sight of him had simply lifted her spirits.

"Lalaya," he greets in return, giving her a slight bow. Still calm, still cool, still showing her majesty respect.

"You're...leaving soon, aren't you?" It's only now that her smile wavers and she knows it once those final words leave her lips.

Tsurugi doesn't hesitate, he nods. They're both aware that the human team would be gone by today. Just a few more hours. Once their preparations were complete, he'd be home, light years away from his queen.

"Well..." She holds her breath, lifts her head. She recalls how she should appear, how she needed to be composed and strong (like him, like her father, she thinks). "I wish you a safe trip, Tsurugi. Know that I'll always be thinking of you, wherever you are."

A blush ends up on his cheeks and he raises a hand in an attempt to hide it. "Thanks. I'll be doing the same," he mumbles his reply. "I'll never forget you, Lalaya."

He should be saying more and he wants to, but what does he say? It's a strange predicament to be in. He opens his mouth to speak, but stops as he hears his name being called out. Mentally, he curses in response, more time being cut short.

It doesn't seem necessary to tell her that he needs to go, but it's painful to see her with that look on her face. Trying to be strong for him. It hurts him to, not that he likes to admit. Unable to bear the look on her face for too long, he begins to turn on his feet, back facing her. He only manages to take one step forward before he's stopped.

"Come back!" Lalaya had shouted, unintentionally (or maybe not). A hand of hers had reached out and grabbed onto the ends of his jacket, tugging it back in an attempt to keep him here. She stepped forward, pressing her head against his back, tightly holding onto the fabric. It wasn't something a queen should do, to break composure and let out an emotional cry, but her subjects weren't around and her heart was already so heavy- it wouldn't hurt to be a little selfish, would it?

"Please," her voice is small, trying to sound calm. She takes in a breath. "Please, come back? One day?" Maybe she's asking too much from him. Humans don't have the same technology as they do and leaving his home planet to return...would he really do such a thing? For her?

Tsurugi doesn't respond, falling quiet as they stay there for another moment. He hears his name being called again, but dismisses it. He begins to move, slowly, waiting for her to let go of his jacket. When he faces her, he takes her hands into his, holds them tightly. His chest feels tight and he wishes he could bring that smile he saw earlier back to her face.

"I promise," he starts, pausing only to bend down and press his lips against her forehead. When he pulls back, his face is red. "I'll return someday. Trust me."

Lalaya blinks, looks up to him and feels her own cheeks redden. There's a pounding in her chest that leaves a warm feeling. It makes her smile, a bright one, brighter than before.

"I'll be waiting for you."


	44. Here (For You)

title: Here (For You)  
characters: kidou yuuto, fudou akio  
pairings: kdfd  
summary: Fudou gets kicked out of his place and of course Kidou comes by.  
a/n: request requested

* * *

"This sucks," he let an exaggerated sigh out, keeping his gaze down and hunching over. He had taken a seat on one of the benches in the nearby park, finally able to let that out. No one was around to hear him complain, but he wouldn't care if anyone did.

His luck had took a turn for the worse. Just when he thought things were looking up, Fudou had been forcefully kicked out of his apartment for some stupid reason. He could have sworn he did his best to actually keep his home in good condition, do whatever that ass of a landlord told him to. But, he guessed that just didn't matter. All that mattered was him getting the hell out of that place before that old man kept to his empty threats of calling the police on him.

So, he left. But having nowhere to go, he just wandered around until he wound up here. He's glad he did. The park was quiet, peaceful, not many people around. The apartments were noisy, so the change was welcomed.

Or it was until he could begin hearing the nagging voice of Kidou in his mind. He ended up recalling the time Kidou had been willing to offer a place for him to stay, that he had a spare room in that luxurious home of his. Fudou had denied it before he even finished his offer. It was generous, too generous, he didn't like it. If he accepted, he felt he'd need to pay him back, rely on him, and god he wasn't in a place to do so much for him.

(Even now he wonders if he should have taken it, at least he wouldn't have been kicked out- no he's pretty sure he'd be threatened more at Kidou's place for the stunts he'd pull to get underneath his skin just for the hell of it.)

Instead of mulling over him, he tries to get his thoughts on finding a place to stay for the night. He could always just find a place outside, motels were alright but so damn expensive. Fudou rests his back against the bench, running a hand through his hair as he tries to find a solution to his problem.

"Fudou?"

 _'Shit.'_

His head turns slightly to the side, looking over to the passerby, Kidou. He lets out a sigh to the sight of him, so much for trying to be comfortable.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Kidou. Guess today's my lucky day." He doesn't bother to hide the sarcasm in his tone.

"You could just say hello like a normal person..." Kidou mutters as he shakes his head. "Anyway, what are you doing out here?"

Fudou rolls his eyes. Nosy as ever, isn't he? (Not really, its an acceptable question he's just not in the mood to give a truthful answer.) "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Kidou stares at him for a moment, waiting on giving him an answer. He decides to take a seat beside Fudou, much to his dismay as he was enjoying taking up space on this bench of his.

"Well," he starts once he's seated, "it looks like you're currently trying to find a place to stay."

Fudou immediately shot up and stared at the other. He couldn't be a mind reader. How the hell did he find out about this so soon? As much as he could deny it, he's pretty sure his reaction would have given it away. "How'd you-"

"I passed by your place a few minutes ago," he answers, as if he already knew he'd ask that. How annoying. "The landlord informed me of his...decision to kick you out."

"That bastard," he snaps, shouts. He had blabbered about that to Kidou and who knows what else! The last thing he wanted was Kidou to end up worrying over him and his current living conditions. He'd never hear the end of it from him!

"Agh! I hate that stupid bastard! I hate everything!" It's a frustrated outburst. He just wants to go and get his mind all off this now. Just forget about today and move on.

"Do you hate me, to?" Kidou asks suddenly. Fudou turns to look at him, still annoyed and angry at everything. He tried reading his expression, but it was difficult with his mouth pressed in a thin line and those stupid goggles always shielding his eyes.

"Eh?" He raised a brow. "Why're you asking something stupid?"

"Well, I am part of everything. I just wanted some clarification if you hated me as well."

"Hmph. I thought you were supposed to be some genius. Can't even tell what's an exaggeration."

"Oh, but it sounded genuine, especially right now. And you know...I still haven't gotten an answer yet."

Fudou glares and huffs, crossing his arms. "For that, I'll say yes. I hate you, Kidou. You and your nosy ass."

Kidou only grins to his response, it seems things had worked out to his benefit. "Good to see your in a slightly better mood, Fudou."

"Wha-" He cuts himself off. He was being a distraction. Just what he wanted, needed. That ass. Fudou ends up roughly nudging his shoulder. "Don't think that this means I'm going to end up accepting your help to."

"You're not? Not even for just one night?"

"...Just one night."


	45. Festival

title: Festival  
characters: tsurugi kyousuke, tenma matsukaze  
pairing: kyouten  
summary: It's time for a festival and just who will Tenma spend this time with?  
a/n: anon request oh my

* * *

It was Shindou's suggestion, something for the team to do, an activity that didn't involve soccer. It was something recreational, something the could all enjoy- a festival. One that was held within the town was creeping up just around the corner, just a couple weeks after he had announced it.

And those weeks flew by, whether it was due to school or soccer practice, or just him counting down the days, Tenma couldn't tell. Honestly, he was just happy, excited, thrilled that the day of the festival finally came. The whole team had managed to attend and he was certain everyone would have a good time here- together!

Or so he thought.

"Shinsuke!" Tenma had eagerly turned to where his best friend was, or thought he was. The shorter had been standing beside him not too long ago, but it seemed like Sangoku had snatched him away. Oh well, he could catch up to them, but first, he turned to see if anyone else wanted to go off with him. Sadly, it seemed they were already in pairs or trios, already taking off.

It made the smile on his face turn into a childish pout. He had thought everyone was going to stick together, though after a moment did think it a huge group might make it difficult to navigate the festival. (They all agreed that they'd be together for fireworks at the end of the night though so he guessed they'd be together eventually.)

Still, he let out a sigh, hunch over slightly and mumble, "I don't want to be alone here..." He could easily just run up to one of the other smaller groups and jump in or even have fun on his own (the latter was a last resort). But he wanted to be with someone, enjoy this festival experience with someone- anyone!

"Hmph."

"Huh?" Tenma hears that huff and turns his head to the source. Standing right beside him is Tsurugi and he nearly jumps at how close he is and- how long had he been there? Hadn't he gone off with someone else?

"What?" Tsurugi asks, tilting his head.

"I, ahh...you're here!" Tenma fumbles with his words, trying not to let his thoughts interfere with what he wanted to say. "Ahhah, I thought you already left with...someone else."

"I've been here," he replies. He didn't mean standing right beside him. The striker had been waiting, hoping that Tenma wouldn't have ran off with someone. And it seemed he had just been lucky enough for that to come true!

"You said you didn't want to be alone. So, I'll be with you for tonight." It feels weird saying that, it almost sounds too mushy for his own liking. Maybe Tenma would pick up on it or maybe not by the look on his face.

Tenma had been staring at him, unknowingly flustering the other. Eventually, his lips curl up into a smile and he jumps to his feet in joy.

"I can always count on you, huh, Tsurugi?" Tenma says with a little laugh. And in a burst of excitement, he ends up taking a hold of his hand, catching him completely off guard.

"Mhmm, don't mention it, really," he manages to say without floundering with his words. Tsurugi can't tell if he even hears that, he doubts it. But, he doesn't really care. Seeing him light up was worth it.

"Come on!" Tenma lifts their hands into the air in a little cheer. He can't help but laugh, now in a totally good mood. He'd be spending this festival with Tsurugi and enjoy it. (And maybe figure out why his heart was beating so much around him to.) "Let's go have some fun, Tsurugi!"


	46. To See You Smile

title: To See You Smile  
characters: fudou akio, sakuma jirou  
pairing: fusaku  
summary: Sakuma is in a foul mood- can Fudou help?  
a/n: final tumblr request (for now)

* * *

"Not now, Fudou, I'm _not_ in the mood," Sakuma let out a sigh as the other had come over to his desk. He rested against it, having his arms placed on the desk as he was leaning towards the other. It made Sakuma have to recoil slightly, trying to keep some distance between them.

"You can't tell me that- I haven't even done anything yet," he defended with a playful smirk. "And you make it sound like I'm about to do something terrible."

"That's because you _are_ going to do something and I'd rather not deal with it today," he responded, pushing himself away from the desk, chair screeching against the floor as it moved back. Sakuma was quick to his feet, making sure to grab his lunch and make his way out of the classroom.

He could hear Fudou call out for him, but decided not to bother. He knew the other would only sour his mood if he stuck around him for the day. And, that was something he did not want happening. Unlike him, he thinks, he'd regret snapping and saying something he'd regret. And heaven knows what might fly out of his mouth right now.

Sakuma decides to eat alone, picking a spot in the back corner of the cafeteria. He was the only one at the table and hoped it would remain that way. But, just as he begins to unpack his lunch, his hope is shattered as someone takes the seat right beside him. It makes him sigh heavily when he realizes who it is.

"I already told you-"

"You're not in the mood, heard it already," Fudou finishes for him. Knowing that doesn't stop him as he leans over to steal a piece of meat (he'd never go after the healthier stuff). Sakuma glares at him, slapping his hand, or attempting to as Fudou is faster, hand already out of reach as the food is dropped into his mouth.

"Fudou!" He shouts and pushes him. Again, tries to but the other seems to just know what he's about to do, already jumping away and out from the table. And this is all definitely not helping with his current mood. His hands ball into fists and he's just about to get to his feet.

Somehow, Fudou manages to stop him as he points towards his lunch. "Might want to look over there before you go on a killing spree." Part of him thinks to ignore him, the other half says he should listen. Regretfully, Sakuma does the latter.

His head turns to his meal and finds something out of place. There's a small penguin keychain sitting amongst the meat section. Sakuma stares for a moment, rubs his eye to make sure he's not seeing things. He reaches out to pick it up, finding it slightly dirtied due to being around food, but nothing that can't be cleaned up.

"What...?" He's speechless, simply holding and staring at the small item in his hands.

Fudou takes this chance to slide back over beside him. He grins as he looks over to the surprised and shocked look on his face. "So, not going to kill anyone now?"

"I-" He turns his head to look to Fudou. "Is this yours?"

"Of course not, its yours," he sighs out and shrugs, looking disappointed for just a moment. "I just wanted to see you smile, since you've been in a pissy mood lately. Thought that might've helped, but guessed I was wrong."

Sakuma stares at him, then looks to the keychain, and back to him. It wasn't much, they both knew, but it was something- an attempt to cheer him up. Even if it had led to pissing him off a little more in the process. Though, after hearing _that_ it makes him not want to smile and god he wished he could stop himself from doing so.

"Don't tell me you stole this."

"Don't accuse me of stealing or else I'll just take it back."

"I'm not! But..." Sakuma smiles before finally being able to nudge the other (Fudou lets him do that, or so he says later on). "Don't be such an ass about this next time."

"I won't make any promises."


	47. Just a Codename

title: Just a Codename  
characters: Saryuu Evan, Fei Rune, Meia, Giris  
plot: Fei asks why Saryuu decided his codename is SARU.  
a/n: request for the lovely Mizuki Kokoa! I hope you enjoy this one!

* * *

Feida had finally been formed, united under their leader, Saryuu, or SARU as he wished to be called now. It was a strange thing, a small little change in name that he decided and Fei simply couldn't wrap his mind around it. The boy had meant to ask him about it, but had yet to find the right time to ask.

Things had gotten busy with their new group. They had to get their hands on weapons, finalize plans, make sure their home base was impenetrable, all while staying out of El Dorado's sight. It really left little time to speak to others on friendly terms. Of course, there was the occasional break, but even then it was used for personal relaxation over business.

Fei was currently on his own break, dropping to the ground away from the other bustling kids here. It was nice, granting him a moment of respite. But, even now his thoughts turned to hunting down his old friend. He decided against it, figuring that being a leader would make him to busy, too preoccupied to allow him to ask a single question.

"Hey, look, it's Fei!"

His ears perked up from hearing a female's voice, his gaze lifting to find the source. Not too far away from him stood Meia and Giris (together as always, he thought). Fei smiled, waving to the two as he began to push himself up from the ground and onto his feet.

"Hey!" Fei begins to walk over to them. "I guess you two are on your break as well?"

Giris nodded as he adjusted his glasses, taking Meia's hand into his, daring to take another step to her side to. "Mhmm. We were lucky enough to get the same time off."

"Oh, you make it sound like it was simply luck, my love!" Meia added with a mischievous giggle.

""Well, it sounds better that way, don't you think? Like it was fate and meant to be."

"Uhh," Fei interrupts, hoping to stop them before they went too far. "Well, I'm glad you're both spending time together still. But...hey, you don't mind if I ask you guys something right?"

"Of course not, Fei!" Meia chirped. "Ask away!"

"You know how Saryuu changed his name after," he motions his hands, "all this? Do either of you know...why he changed it? I mean, it's not that big of a change..."

The two blink and look to each other, nearly in sync. It wasn't something they were expecting to hear be asked of them. And it was something they thought he would have known.

"To my knowledge, I don't believe he ever gave a reason," Giris answers first. "I believe he just wanted it to be a codename. In his speeches and presentations, it's always just been that."

"He's right. Now that I think about it, he's really never given a reason behind it. I always thought he was doing it to try and be cool," Meia answers with a shrug. "Maybe you should ask him about it yourself?"

"I've been trying to, but," Fei droops a little down with a sigh. "We've all been so busy it's so hard to just ask him. Every time I see him it's a quick question about what to do next or if things are going smoothly, you know?"

"Hmm...I suppose it would be difficult to speak to him right now, still, I believe a few seconds to spare wouldn't hurt. It might be a nice break for him to," Giris suggested.

"You might be right on that..." Fei put a hand to his chin in thought for a moment. He always thought he was busy, thought he might be a bother, but perhaps not.

"Then you should go find him! I think he was speaking to Garo not too long ago. You should go on and hurry before things get hectic again," Meia said.

"Right. Thanks you two! Enjoy your break!" Fei chirped. Meia had pointed him in the direction where he'd last been and he darted off. He had a feeling he'd know where Saryuu would be. Passing by Garo had been a great tip to know he was going to the right direction.

"Sary- SARU!" Fei shouted once he spotted the other.

Saryuu had looked over to him with a friendly smile, waving to the other. "Fei, what brings you here?" He asked before a look of concern crosses his face. "Nothing bad I hope?"

"Huh?" He shakes his head. "No, it's nothing like that."

"Oh, that's a relief. I know you're capable of handling things on your own. I suppose I was just worried, but I know I can count on you."

"Yeah you can..." Fei says and before he can say anything else, he asks, "Why did you want a codename?"

"Huh?"

"Uhh..." He blinks, not realizing how odd that sounds coming out of the blue. Fei scratches the back of his head. "Your codename. Why'd you want it to be that? We don't really need codenames, you know...not that yours is bad or anything!"

Saryuu blinks at his response and chuckles softly. "It's fine. I did think a leader should have one, you know? It's better than being called master or something like that. It's more...fitting, wouldn't you think?"

"I guess the name does suit you..."

"I'm glad you agree. Do you like it?"

"Hm? Well, I wouldn't have chosen it for myself, but for you, yeah. Is there any reason for choosing _that_ name though?"

"Not really," he shrugs. "It's just a codename. Nothing more, nothing less. Anyway, I hate to end this here, but I promised Garo I would assist him with his assignment."

"Oh, of course! I should be getting back to my own..." Fei smiles at the other. "Thanks for answering my question, SARU! See you later!"

Fei bounces off and Saryuu watches as he goes. His smile fades as his lips turn into a thin line. He had been hoping that Fei would have recalled the reason why he chose that name. How it was a name the other had called him when they had first met. It had been a sudden decision to call himself that. It was a little saddening that he didn't recall it, but he figured in time it all might just click.

And maybe Fei would end up having a codename like him to.


	48. Everybody Talks

title: Everybody Talks  
pairings: kyouten  
summary: tumblr request using the prompt "Everyone keeps telling me you're the bad guy."  
a/n: I'm getting lazy with making up summaries for requested drabble prompts oops

* * *

Tenma takes a seat besides Tsurugi. The boy is unusually quiet compared to his normally chipper demeanor. This strange silence doesn't go unnoticed by the other (it's difficult to ignore), prompting him to raise a brow as his head turns to the brunette. Seeing _that_ look, he puts on a smile, forced. It doesn't fool Tsurugi at all.

"I'm the one thats usually quiet."

Tenma responds with a nervous laugh, hand scratching the back of his head. "Sorry. I'm just, ummm..." He looks down to his lap, staring at it. His hands eventually fall and rest upon it, they come together in a tight hold. "I just keep hearing a lot of bad things about you and...I don't really like it."

Tsurugi huffs and rolls his eyes. Typical. He'd heard all the shit talked about him before. It was the same old rumors and lies floating behind his back. It hardly bothered him these days.

"And?"

Tenma is quiet, takes in a breath. "Everyone keeps telling me you're the bad guy."

Hearing that makes him want to laugh, but he only allows a chuckle to escape. "They're not wrong."

"They are to!" Tenma defends, head snapping to face his now. The sudden action catches Tsurugi off guard, startling him. "They're wrong about you! They don't know you like I do!" Tenma gets to his feet, heated to prove the other wrong, to make him think otherwise. Tsurugi can already see the determination flaring in his eyes.

"You're not a bad guy, Tsurugi."

"I am."

That's how he wanted it to be, or wanted to seem it should be. So what if he was a bad guy to everyone? So what if the world made him up to be a different person? It was all an act anyway. He didn't need to prove himself to others to anyone. Anyone except...

Tenma's hands reach out to take Tsurugi's. The taller's cheeks end up blushing more than they should, especially once their eyes meet.

"You have to promise me," Tenma starts, hands squeezing his. "Promise me that...that you'll stop this one day! I want people to see the real you. I want people to know the real you. I don't want people to think ill of you..." He pauses, gulps, bites at his lip. "I want people to know that you're really a good guy."

Tsurugi is silent, staring back at those bright and hopeful blue eyes. He makes it really hard to say no to all this. He clenches his teeth, needs to bite down on his tongue before he ends up saying anything stupid. Finally, he moves his hands out of Tenma's hold, getting to his feet and looking to the other boy.

"I promise," he answers, "once all this is over. Then I guess I can start being...good."

A smile instantly begins to relieve Tenma's worried expression. The sight seems to relieve Tsurugi to. But, the other boy seems more excited to hear that, causing him to throw himself against the striker, pulling him into a warm embrace.

"I'll be with you every step of the way! I'll make sure everyone knows you're a super good guy!" Tenma shouts with a chuckle.

Tsurugi blushes and mutters, "You don't have to go that far for me..." But it's nice that he will.


	49. Fix It

title: Fix It  
pairings: matamina  
summary: request with the lines "I'm done! You can fix it!"

* * *

Matatagi let out an aggravated sigh to the broken toy in his hands. He hadn't been expecting to waste a good hour (or more at this rate) on trying to fix it, but when his brothers had come nearly crying to him about breaking it...he just couldn't tell them to toss it away and buy a new one. So, he offered to fix it, after he gave them the usual lecture to be careful with their things and that they didn't have money to spare to buy a replacement.

Fixing it, or promising to try to, was the next best thing. Of course, he made sure to tell his brothers not to expect much since they didn't have the instructions simply lying around for them to look through for help.

"Have you finished putting it back together yet?"

Matatagi sighs once he hears that from over his shoulder.

"No, not yet." He turns his head, nearly hitting Minaho's, while giving him a slightly annoyed look. "I'll be done in a minute."

"That's the third time you've said that. You know, if you let me he-"

"I got this," Matatagi stated, nudging the other away. He moved to have his body shield his 'progress' from the other's view. Not that it would help much since he could just peek over his shoulder, again.

Minaho had offered to help when he had seen him frustrated with the toy earlier. Matatagi had denied the help, wanting to be the one to fix this toy for his brothers. They came to him, he was their brother, not Minaho. It was only right that he be the one to fix it.

(He's beginning to regret being so stubborn about this and just turning to Minaho and asking for help but hell if he does after saying that to him.)

He doesn't sigh, refuses to. Matatagi takes in a breath and gets back to work, focusing on the screws and where they should go and what little piece should connect with what to get a functional robot working again. How long has this attempt been? He doesn't know, doesn't even want to look at the time. Matatagi ends up glancing over his shoulder, noticing Minaho staring over at him. He smiles and he swears he can already hear that same question.

"You sure you-"

"I'm done!" Matatagi finally shouts, throwing his hands into the air before scooting over to the side, revealing the broken, semi-fixed, toy on the ground. " _You_ can fix it."

Minaho stares, smile unwavering. "You sure? I thought you wanted to be the one to do it."

Matatagi huffs and gives him a look that tells him to 'shut up and fix the god damn toy now before I toss it at you'. The orange haired boy shrugs, figuring it's better he go quiet before that does happen. So, he moves from his spot, going to sit beside the other and starting to get to work on this toy.

"You know, I've seen something like this before," Minaho speaks as he fiddles with the arm. "There's always a trick to figuring out how to put these together."

"Really now?" Matatagi asks in disbelief, sarcasm heavy in his voice.

"Mhm! But the real way to know how to put these back together..." His smile seems to widen and in seconds, the arm and leg have been rejoined with their body and the toy looks new once more. Matatagi's eyes go wide for a moment, shocked at to how quickly he managed to get this thing together. "Is to either read the instructions or have taken one apart before. You know, you really should have let me done this earlier, it would have saved so much time."

"Oh shut up, you ass."


	50. Cub Worries

title: Cub Worries  
pairing: afufubu  
summary: request using "I'm your husband. It's my job."

* * *

"Shirou!"

Aphrodi has shouted his name, dashing over to the other as fast as he could in the snow. He had gone from a light jog and broken into a run the second he had seen the other in danger.

A bear had been standing beside the other not too long ago. And he could only think that Fubuki had been lucky enough to escape its hungry wrath. He's not sure how or why, but it was slightly relieving to see that animal groan and turn around. But it didn't stop his fear that maybe something had happened to Fubuki. Being around a bear was never a good sign.

When he had gotten to Fubuki's side, his hands instantly flew onto his shoulders, gripping onto him tightly. His eyes went up and down, not spotting any bloodd, he let out the breath he was holding.

"You're not hurt, are you? Please, _please_ , tell me that you're okay?" He asked, breathless. Aphrodi hadn't gotten used to running in the snow, especially in his more casual wear.

Fubuki, meanwhile, only stared at him with wide eyes. He was almost stunned by the panting and concerned Aphrodi, a break in his usually calm demeanor. "I'm fine, Terumi. There's nothing to worry about."

"But I saw you! And- And that bear!" He points to the direction of the bear waltzing off. In their vision, now it's nothing more than some brown fuzzy spot in the snowy background. "And I swear, if that bear did anything you, I-"

"Terumi," Fubuki states his name, brings his hands up and claps his hands against the blonde's cheeks. He waits, makes sure that Aphrodi is looking at him. Slowly, his lips curl up to a smile. "Nothing happened. You don't have to worry so much."

Aphrodi stares at him and lets out a sigh, bringing up a hand to press against Fubuki's. "You can't tell me not to worry. I'm your husband. It's my job. Especially if you're going to be interacting with bears, then its my number one duty to worry about you and your safety."

"I can see your point." He guessed that it would look strange for him to be hanging around a bear. Anyone would have panicked. "I'm glad that you worried over me, but...I know the bear- sort of," he adds quickly. Still, that doesn't stop Aphrodi from giving him a strange look.

"Err..." He slowly removes his hands from the other's cheek, keeping a hold of his hand though. Had he ever mentioned his relationship to the bear that lived in the wild out here? He guessed not. "You've heard of the old man of the mountain, right? Well," he nervously chuckles, "I used to, um, fight with him back in the day and that was his cub, so..."

Maybe now wasn't a good time to explain how he knew a bear and fought with him before (it was more Atsuya but that was just another part of this story to add onto it). Aphrodi's gaze seemed to have gone wider, mixed with just worry and fear for the old bear fighter.

"It's a long story, but there's no harm in it- I promise!" Fubuki says quickly with a smile. It doesn't help Aphrodi.

"How is fighting a bear and knowing their kid have no harm in it?!"

Fubuki sighs out. So much for going out and enjoying a date together. This was going to be a long story.


	51. Like the Water

title: Like the Water  
characters: Shindou Takuto, Tsurugi Kyousuke, slight Tsurugi Yuuichi  
pairings: slight kyoutaku  
summary: It's not unusual for this merprince to remember his past, but it is unusual for a human to try and comfort him. {mermaid au}

* * *

It's an unusual time for him to come up on land, to leave the safety of the sea. Even for a short while, he wonders just how long he should stay here. The darkness may hide him, but for how long? Shindou finds it's best not to think on it for now. He exercises his magic, shining tail and scales disappearing only to be replaced with human legs. Clothes follow after, covering his nude form to fit in with the species on land.

And maybe it is a little too fancy for beach wear. Its never something simple like a short sweater and trunks, but something like a button up shirt with shorts. He never wore footwear, didn't see the need to and he enjoyed the feeling of sand and water hitting his bare human feet.

Casting the spell is easy, especially at night with no prying human eyes to come and catch sight of a person coming from the ocean who hardly looks drenched. Shindou doesn't stray far, he never does. The merman makes sure to keep close to the shoreline, never stray past the beaches. If he were to, he feared that he wouldn't be able to return and that he might just dry up and lose his magic.

He walks silently upon the beach, enjoying the sand between his toes, the quiet and serene atmosphere around him. It's different from daytime, he thinks. During the day, he'd find so many people here, mostly enjoying themselves. Human life was interesting from what he had observed. Different from his kind.

The merman continues his walk, only coming to a stop once he reaches the nearby pier. This was a spot he usually avoided during the day. There was too many people, too noisy. It gave him a headache if he stuck around. But, the noisy life had been replaced with the occasional chatter of those daring to explore at night and the sound of the ocean.

His gaze turns up from the pier towards the sea. He stares before eyes shut. Slowly, he begins to lower himself, take a seat on the sound and simply listen to the world around him. It's quiet, but he can hear the melody of the waves, how they form a song and how the water sings in its own way. Humans can't hear it, he doubts that they could. He was always taught that the ocean sang for them, his kind, his people.

And he wished that they could hear it.

The thought makes him pull his legs to his chest as he fights back a frown. He hated thoughts like that, reminders of how there was no one else but him. How his people could never enjoy things like this, simple things. It was something that could easily be missed by most and cherished by few.

Shindou gulps and takes in a breath. It's difficult to stop the images, the memories from flooding into his mind. He remembers utter chaos; his peaceful home torn apart thanks to a disaster. It was hard to recall what had happened exactly, the day had been like any other and when merfolk started screaming, thats when everything changed. Everyone was swimming in a panic, trying to escape from the waters that had been their home. No one could have ever thought their kingdom would turn into a prison, a deathtrap.

Through all the chaos, he remembers his parents. He remembers how they swam with him in arm, pulling him away and uttering incomprehensible words. They had shut him away in a special pod, one that could keep him safe and alive. Thanks to king and queen, his parents, only he had survived this strange tragedy.

"Mama...Papa..."

His voice is sad, quiet. Hands begin to clench into fists. The ocean's song seems to be more sorrowful than before and he's not sure if its just him or the ocean.

His thoughts are still on his parens, their faces and how they wore fear, hope, regret, love in a single expression. No matter how hard he tried reaching out to them, they would never meet again. No matter how hard he wanted to stay behind, to help, he had to live.

Memories become hazy afterwards. They went from his parents to waking up and escaping from his little pod that had been left under some rubble. He had called out for his parents at first before daring to see his kingdom for himself.

And when he did, there was nothing. Only bare remains, underwater buildings toppled over, looking as if they had been like so for decades. Merfolk life was nonexistent, there were no bodies around at all. It was as if no one had ever been there to begin with. Shindou was left alone in an underwater city of ruin.

The tears start falling, as they always do to these memories. It was always strange to feel the tears fall down his cheeks when on land. The sensation was different compared to crying underwater. But here, he could feel them, know that he was indeed crying, feeling something for his fallen kingdom.

Hands lift and rub at his eyes, his cheeks, wanting to get rid of the water staining his face. "If only I could have helped...if only I..." He sniffles, takes in a breath. He couldn't blame himself for the destruction of his home, but found it terribly easy to do so.

The merman shakes his head. If he had survived then there was nothing he could but live on, for them. He couldn't change the past, but could make a new future. But how exactly? What was a prince without a kingdom supposed to do? Searching the ocean for help was something, but everything past his fallen home was dangerous. And the human world, while another option, was something he was only so familiar with. Neither option left him with someone to turn to, to speak with.

A sigh escapes him and he falls on his back. He ignores the tears on his cheeks as he looks up to the night sky. Brown hues focus on the shining stars above. The sight was clear, not blurred by the waters. It was a nice sight, familiar yet different, especially when accompanied by the ocean's more uplifting songs. It made those heartbreaking thoughts disappear. Even if it was only for a short while, he was at peace.

But, this moment doesn't last long as it is interrupted by sandy footsteps. Shindou remains in his spot, mentally sighing as his head turns slightly to the sound and finds a human approaching him. At least, he assumes so as the other hadn't stopped and kept on his way. He's forced to sit up and wait.

As he looks to the navy blue hair human, he finds that he's a rather pale one. It makes him think of another species he's read about in his old library. A vampire, was it? Pale skin, sharp orange eyes, good looks that could be used to charm his prey- wait had he really thought this guy was handsome? Surely not.

The human (or possible vampire) stops right beside him and stares down at him. The air is silent, even the distant chattering and sound of waves seem to cease. Shindou can only stare back, not knowing what to say. Most humans would ask him a question and that was all. On the rare occasion, he'd be asked to join in for some beach activity, but that was during the day with many people around, never at night with a single human.

He moves suddenly and it startles Shindou, causing him to flinch. He swears that some type of amusement flashes across the human's face for a second. But, his mind is unable to think on that for long as the human continues moving, reaching a hand into his jacket's pocket and pulling out a dark handkerchief.

"Take it."

"Pardon me?"

A sigh escapes the human before he simply drops the handkerchief from his hand. Shindou makes sure to catch it, not wanting it to hit the sand.

"You were crying earlier, weren't you? Your eyes are still red."

Shindou's cheeks flush with embarrassment. He wasn't ashamed of crying, but being spotted and told in such a...straightforward manner, well, it was a first. The merman clears his throat and uses the given cloth to dab at his still wet cheeks. "Thank you," he manages to mumble out.

Silence follows shortly after, again. The human ends up gazing out to the ocean for a moment. Shindou remains sitting, unsure if he should be returning this handkerchief or not; he's left to just rub the cloth in his hands.

"You've been out here before, haven't you?"

"Yes...I have," Shindou answers warily. Sure he came here a lot but had anyone really noticed him? "Have you...?" His eyes widen to the thought that maybe he's seen him change before. That he caught a glimpse of his tail or worse!

"I'm not doing anything weird," he says, quickly defending himself. "You stand out from the people here."

Shindou's heart races and he begins to think- had he really given away his identity? He was always cautious, _always_. The spell cast makes him loose his tail, scales, makes him have human flesh. He looked just as any normal should! But perhaps it wasn't him that was 'wrong'. Perhaps it was the other. Perhaps that he too was another creature. Perhaps-

"Are you really a vampire?"

The question flies out of his mouth and he wishes it hadn't once he sees the look on the other's face. God, he can't tell if he's extremely pissed or embarrassed at being asked that.

"No," he answers. "Vampires don't exist."

"A-Apologies...I didn't really mean that..."

When the silence returns, it's now terribly awkward.

The human scratches the back of his head, seeming distraught now. Shindou thinks he really shouldn't have asked that dumb question (although he was glad to have confirmed he was human). The most he could do is just bow his head, hoping that the other wasn't too pissed or really knew his secret.

"Forget what I said earlier," the human mutters.

"Alright..." It's the least he could do. Shindou decides to get to his feet. Once he's standing, he holds the handkerchief out to him. "Here."

"Keep it," the human replies after a simple glance. "In case if you cry against, at least you have something handy."

"I-I'm not going to cry again!" _Not at the moment anyway!_ The merman shoots the human a glare before sighing and bringing the handkerchief back to him. "Thank you for giving this to me, really." It was a small act of kindness, one that he appreciated. "I promise to return it to you."

"I said you could keep it," he mutters and rolls his eyes. "Anyway, I don't know where you're from, but you are from around here, right?"

"Yes." Shindou knows to answer that quickly, even if he couldn't truthfully say where.

"If you ever need to..." The human stops, teeth clenching. Those sharp eyes glance to the merman for a moment before snapping back to the ocean. "If you come tomorrow night, I'll be here."

"Why would you be out here tomorrow night?"

"Because...You seem like you could use someone to talk to."

"Ah..." He's right about that, but Shindou isn't so sure about speaking of his merfolk problems to a human. Maybe he should talk to him though. Maybe he would help. The offer itself was kind and declining it might be rude. Besides, he could bring a gift of some sorts form the ocean to repay him for taking his handkerchief. It was only natural to do so, a way to return the favor.

"Very well. I will see you tomorrow night."

Shindou sports a small smile and holds a hand out to him. The human gives him a weird look, but sighs and takes his hand anyway. And now, the human smiles to and he has to wonder why he doesn't do that more often. Before he can compliment him, a sudden buzz sound goes off, startling the two and breaking their handshake.

It's coming from one of his pockets and the human has to fish a strange device out of it. When it's pulled out it's nearly instantly put away without even bothering to open it.

"I have to go."

"Oh." He was human. He couldn't stay here on the beach forever with him. "Befo-"

"See you tomorrow," he cuts Shindou off, unknowingly, before turning on his feet and somehow managing to run quite fast in the sand. The merman takes a step forward, ready to run after him but recalls that they'll meet again tomorrow.

"I didn't get his name..." He frowns and looks down to the handkerchief in hand. Holding it and just feeling it again, now he finds, feels something odd. He turns the cloth over to find some embroidery on it. A name.

"Kyousuke?"

~...~

"So," Yuuichi smiles as he hears his brother come through the front door. He had been waiting for him to come home since he hadn't replied to his texts. "Did you finally speak to the man of your dreams?"

"Don't call him that," Tsurugi huffs out in annoyance, but he can't stop his cheeks from flaring up thanks to his brother's words.

"That's who he is, isn't he? The mysterious, beautiful, ocean man. The strangest gem of the beach, as I've heard you call him before."

"I do not call him that!"

Tsurugi is ready to grab the nearest thing and chuck it to his brother to shut him up. Thankfully, Yuuichi doesn't say more, only chuckling before walking over and ruffling his younger brother's hair.

"But, you did talk to him, right?"

"Yeah, I did." _And I may have given him the handkerchief you made for me to._ He decides not to mention how his crush had thought he was a vampire either. Somethings are better worth not mentioning around him. "I'm meeting with him tomorrow night."

"A second date already?" Yuuichi receives an angry glare for that and he raises his hands in defense. "Okay, not a date. Still, it's a step forward. Just don't stay out too late, alright?"

"I'm old enough to know not to. Anyway, I'm going to bed." He pauses. "Thanks for staying up and waiting for me."

"No need to thank me. Just get to bed and have sweet dreams." Yuuichi smiles to his brother and Tsurugi returns it with one of his own.

"Good night."

Tsurugi walks to his bedroom after that exchange. He yawns, tired but also feeling lighter after having accomplished speaking to that crush of his...who's name he hadn't gotten, he realized just now. A sigh escapes him as he facepalms and he feels like such a dumbass for not getting his name of all things!

Tomorrow, he thinks. He hopes that he'll keep his word. That brunette didn't seem like the type to break it. His thoughts of the other stop as he reaches his room and goes over to the window by his bed. His eyes look out, gazing over to the empty beach. He tries to find the other boy there, but from his distance and at this hour, he'd be lucky to even point out some type of moving figure.

Looking out, something catches his eye. A movement in the water. His first thought is that its a fish of come kind, but it's too close to the shore. It was a strange single splash in the water, nothing like the waves- possibly a person? No, it couldn't be. Tsurugi rubs his eyes before looking out again. The waves are still, nothing breaking them from what he can tell, even when he squints nothing seems out of the ordinary.

Maybe he's just tired and seeing things. He hopes that's the case. After all, no one would be out there at this hour, right? At least, no one human would be.


	52. Black Eye

title: Black Eye  
pairing: Hyoudou Tsukasa/Taki Sousuke  
summary: request using the line "Who gave you that black eye?"

* * *

Sousuke had done all he could in order to avoid crossing paths with Hyoudou, he really did. He'd take the long way home, much to his brother's dismay, stay a little longer after school, find an excuse to stay at school, small things that would eat up time. It worked, at first, but as days past he found it harder to keep up this act.

That all came crumbling down when he had spotted his brother speaking to Hyoudou outside the soccer field. Sousuke had cursed under his breath. Of course his brother had to be the one to give him away. He really shouldn't have been that surprised by this.

He had been hoping he could have just waited a couple more days, give him a little more time for his injury to look normal. Sousuke raises a hand to cover his darkened eye. It's not that bad compared to a few days ago, but it was still noticeable and a pain to deal with.

And the last person he wanted to see him with this was-

"Hyoudou."

His hand drops, but keeps his back towards the other. He had seen his shadow and known it was too late to run (not that he really liked doing that in the first place).

Hyoudou is silent as he crosses his arms and stares at the other boy's back. He lets out a huff and takes steps toward Sousuke.

"You could have at least told me you were busy."

He doesn't sound angry, more annoyed if anything. Guess thats sort of a good thing. His footsteps come to a stop, right, standing right behind the older brother and places a hand upon his shoulder. He waits for a response, but with the lack of one, the goalkeeper has to make his own move, spin the other to face him.

Sousuke looks up to him as if everything is fine, though he knows it's quite the opposite. Hyoudou's expression doesn't change, except for that quick flash of surprise that had appeared on his face once he had seen the forward's injury. It had gone in an instant, but had still been seen.

"Who gave you that black eye?"

Coming from him, it sounds more like a demand rather than a question. Sousuke sighs and rolls his eyes.

"No one important. Just some idiots who were messing around at the shopping area."

Hyoudou's eyes narrow. That's not the answer he wanted. It shouldn't be vague; it should be specific- he wanted names.

"Look, I don't know who they are and I don't care," Sousuke replies, crossing his own arms to imitate the goalkeeper now.

"You should be more careful."

"I don't need to hear that from you."

"You could have called me for help."

Sousuke clicks his tongue. He knew that he could, but there hadn't been any time. It was try to defend his brother on his own or wait for Hyoudou to come from who knows where to help. The former seemed the best idea at the time and still was to him.

"I don't need you to lecture me. I'm fine, isn't that enough?"

 _No_. Hyoudou hadn't said it, but the look on his face had.

"I'll tell your brother that I'm going home with you guys tonight."

"What?"

"I know how to treat a black eye," he states. "It may be fine for now, but I need to check it."

"No, you don't..." It's a weak protest, but he knows that there is no use trying to get him to change his mind. Sousuke knew that look on his face, that tone of voice. He really wouldn't take anyone else's words right now, even his. "Fine. But you aren't staying for dinner."


	53. Real Warmth

title: Real Warmth  
characters: aphrodi, fubuki shirou  
pairing: afufubu  
summary: Aphrodi's first trip to Hokkaido is colder than he thinks  
a/n: tumblr request by tam-tam bLESS HER

* * *

"A-A-Achoo!"

A sneeze had escaped from Aphrodi, causing him to raise a hand and rub at his nose, to shield it from this wintery breeze. It hadn't been easy trying to hold that in, and, in the end, he couldn't.

It was just too cold here in Hokkaido. Cold enough to make his teeth chatter, to make his cheeks flush thanks to the freezing winds, to make his body shiver and try to allow some warmth to course throughout his body.

Aphrodi knew what he was getting into when he decided to visit Fubuki's home, knew that he'd be going to the coldest region in Japan. What he didn't know was how low the temperature would actually drop and how so many people here were just so accustomed to it.

Fubuki was no exception.

The snow prince had no problems with this weather. He wore a jacket with a shirt underneath and regular jeans. This was nothing out of the ordinary for him. Aphrodi had wanted to do the same, wear something that he could be found wearing in Tokyo, albeit a tad warmer. The blonde wore a shirt, a warm sweater, slightly heavier pants compared to his usual kind. It had kept him warm- for a while. But then the winds started to pick up, snow started to fall, and somehow the cold had found its way past his clothes and to his skin.

It made him wish that he had put on an extra layer of clothes, something he hardly ever did.

The angelic striker begins to feel a stare upon him. He guessed that his sneeze hadn't gone unnoticed by Fubuki. When Aphrodi had turned, Fubuki was reaching a hand out to his, slipping it into the blonde's grasp. The warmth that came from his hand was welcomed, his fingers curled around his, not wanting to loose this feeling.

"Are you alright, Aphrodi?"

The question is accompanied by a concerned and worried look. That was the last thing he had wanted to see from him. Aphrodi said he could handle the cold, that he could manage out here and he wanted that to be true.

"I'm alright, Fubuki," he says with a smile, running his free hand through his hair, letting those golden strands of hair fall back in place. "I think I may have just gotten a snowflake on my nose."

Fubuki doesn't seem to believe that one bit, his gaze still focused on the blonde as if he's waiting for the truth. Aphrodi feels him squeeze his hand and- oh. His hand must have been freezing.

"Your hand is cold…" Fubuki mutters, eyes glancing downward, looking to their intertwined fingers before looking back up at him. "Are you…?"

"I-I'm not!"

The crack in his voice and his way to fast reply might have given it away. He mentally slapped himself for trying to be so defensive. He didn't need to be around him. The blonde could feel his smile waver already.

"I'm fine, really. I just want to continue exploring the town with you."

Aphrodi hopes that change in topic would help. He even starts to walk, to take a few steps forward. If he starts moving, his body would be warmer, even if it's just a little bit.

But, after a few steps, he begins to feel the hand around his loosen and eventually fall free from it. The warmth leaves him and worry now strikes his features. He stops almost instantly and turns to face Fubuki.

"Here," he breathes out as he begins to take off that jacket, leaving him in only his shirt to protect himself from the cold. "Take my jacket."

Aphrodi blinks, stares. He shakes his head as the jacket is held out towards him, even raising his hands in protest.

"I'm fine, Fubuki. I told you, I'm not cold."

As if the world was against him and his fibs, a cold gust of wind blows right past them. Aphrodi could practically feel ice hitting his whole body, which causes him to shiver. And that causes a chain reaction, once his body starts, it can't seem to stop shaking. On instinct, he holds himself and begins to rub his arms in order to regain the warmth that was lost.

He knew it was all over. The blonde could still say he wasn't cold, but his body would say otherwise. The only thing he could do now was give a weak smile at Fubuki, hoping he wouldn't be angry with him.

Fubuki let out a sigh as he walked up to his side. He drapes his jacket over Aphrodi's shoulders, making sure that it'll stay put. Cold hands reach out to tug at it; he simply could not refuse the warmth at this point. And maybe it was just him, but, god, this jacket was really heating his body up, protecting him from the cold instantly.

"You could have just told me you were cold."

"I…" He knew that he could, but he had fought against that idea for some dumb reason. Maybe he was just being silly, not wanting to look like an underprepared tourist beside him. "I know. I wasn't trying to become a popsicle, just so you know," he adds a light laugh to that. "I just wanted to keep seeing the town with you. Turning back seemed like it would be a waste of time."

"I wouldn't have minded," Fubuki replies, hand slipping back into Aphrodi's. He moves closer to him, letting their arms meet. It was still surprising how the cold didn't seem to affect him at all. "I'd be with you and that's all I really want. That and to make sure you really don't become a popsicle now."

Those words make him smile. It made him feel warm, made his chest feel warm. Maybe he didn't need the jacket now (that's a lie, he really does need it but god it really feels like he doesn't now).

"You really are a snow prince- my snow prince."


	54. Drunk

title: Drunk  
characters: Teres Tolue, Edgar Valtinas  
pairing: teredo  
summary: He never imagined Teres to be like this when drunk.

* * *

Edgar watches as Teres sets down his glass with a rather loud thud on the table, part of him nearly expecting it to shatter upon contact. He notes how it had gone from full to only having a third of that alcoholic beverage left in it. The other man sways in his seat, props an elbow upon the table and presses his cheek against his knuckles. Dark red eyes gaze over at him, going up and down his figure.

"You're so damn gorgeous."

The comment catches Edgar off guard, just a little. It's not something he had been expecting to hear at the moment. He tries to ignore it, to pay attention to his own glass instead of him. He tries not to let it slip that he liked the praise and wanted to hear more.

Somehow, his gaze drifts from the glass towards Teres.

"You're drunk, aren't you?"

"Am not."

It was said in a huff, a quick and defensive response. He's pouting, in his own way. The man lets out a sigh before leaning towards Edgar, daring to get into his personal space. A grin forms on his face.

"Have I mentioned how amazing you are?"

Edgar can't help but roll his eyes at that and does his best not to let out a sound. Something escapes though, not a chuckle but something more like a snort. He imagines how ugly that sounds and how its so unlike him, but doesn't bother to hide it. Maybe it was the drinks he had, the fact that he was feeling tipsy and allowing this to pass.

"You're a very different drunk than I thought you'd be."

"Really? What were you expecting, hm?"

Truthfully, he's not quite sure. They'd been tipsy before, only having a couple of drinks, never anything more than that. Tonight, Teres had taken more than their usual amount. Edgar tried to imagine how he originally thought he'd been when drunk, but nothing came to mind. Being more flirtatious than usual was one that really hadn't crossed his mind.

"I don't know. Sleepy, perhaps?" He jokes.

Teres grunts in return. He mumbles something about not being tired as he moves his seat closer to Edgar's. A hand finds its way around his thin waist, pulling his body closer.

"I'd sleep on you- with you to though."

"Teres-"

He's stopped when feeling lips press against his neck. The feeling makes him shudder in delight. It's a different feeling, one that he can't put into words. He wishes that he was sober enough to be able to describe it.

"I think we should go."

"I hate to say you're right, but you are."


	55. Just a Scratch

title: Just a Scratch  
characters: Haizaki Ryouhei, Mizukamiya Seiryuu  
pairing: slight haimizu  
summary: Thats all it is, but Mizukamiya thinks otherwise.

* * *

A hiss escapes from him the moment he feels that ointment hit his skin. It leaves a burning sensation against the already throbbing scratch on his leg. His hands curl into fists, fighting off the urge to simply kick away the hand that had pressed this against his slight injury.

"That hurts."

"I told you it was going to sting."

Haizaki rolls his eyes. Yeah, he knew it was going to sting, shit like this always did; which is why he hardly ever did it. Still, it didn't mean he had to like it or take this quietly. Complaining about it made it feel just a little better.

"You didn't have to do this, you know."

"I did. I am the captain of the team, which means taking care of everyone. Including you."

Mizukamiya had insisted that he do this, to take care of his injury. It's not like it was fatal to his well being. Just a scratch that had drawn more blood than the striker had expected. He would have been fine with sticking a bandage on it when he had gotten home, but instead he had been roped into being cared for.

"It would have been better if you didn't."

Hearing that, Mizukamiya had paused in his action, finger just hovering over the injury, just about to apply another layer of ointment. His gaze turns up, looking to Haizaki who had an annoyed look on his face.

"Well, if that's how you feel, then leave. I didn't mean to hold you back here."

Haizaki looks down to him, almost expecting him to be joking about that. Here he had gone and told him to stay with so much persistence- that he needed to be patched up before it got infected. And now, he was offering him a chance to leave.

Normally, he would have taken it without a second thought. But how could he just go with such a half-assed job done?

(That's the main reason he's not leaving, that's what he's telling himself. It's not like he wants to stay here with him. Definitely not that.)

He crosses his arms and turns his head, using his hair to shield his face from the captain's view. His foot taps against the ground, impatient, waiting for him to continue.

"You should finish what you started."

"Oh? But I thought you didn't want this? I thought you wanted to leave?"

"I do!"

Mizukamiya stays unmoving, staring at him while letting out a chuckle in response. It earns him a quick turn of the head and a sharp glare from Haizaki. He didn't see anything funny about this.

"Your actions betray your words, Haizaki," he mumbles as a smile graces his lips.

"What was that?"

Instead of giving him an answer, he presses his fingers against the red patch of skin. Again, Haizaki hisses in response.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm almost done."


	56. Atsuya's Crush

title: Atsuya's Crush  
characters: Kirina Hiura, Atsuya Fubuki  
pairings: implied atsunae  
summary: Kirina learns a little something about Atsuya.

* * *

Kirina was silently waiting for Shirou to return. The older Fubuki brother had wanted to speak with him. He wasn't sure about what or why, but nevertheless he agreed to this chat. It wouldn't hurt to befriend others from opposing teams. And truthfully, he was curious about the other ice prince.

As he waits, he looks at the two teams mingling with each other. They seemed to be getting along, although he noted how Raimon was louder and more energetic compared to those of Hakuren.

His gaze had gone from taking in the whole view, to finding his friend, Asuto. He was talking to the previous Raimon member, Someoka. Admittedly, he wished to go over and hear just what they were talking about. But, his gaze was stolen by another, a girl passing by in his field of vision. It was Nae dashing by towards Norika. He recalled the girls speaking together the last time they had played and perhaps they were still getting along now. It was a nice thought, them being friends.

"If you touch her, I'll end you."

The sudden harsh and threatening comment makes Kirina jump in surprise. It had caused the usual cool midfielder to turn his gaze to the voice. Its Fubuki- Atsuya, the younger of the brothers. He's glaring at him, walking- stomping towards him and inching a little too close for comfort.

"What?"

"You heard me. I saw you looking over at her."

Kirina blinks, confused. He wasn't quite understanding what he had been getting at. Such a violent tone and aggressive look had came out of nowhere. (Hadn't he been on the field just a second ago to? Now he couldn't recall.) It's not like he had done anything wrong, he thinks.

"Sorry, but I don't know what or who you're talking about."

Even with the limitation of the few girls, it didn't help much. It was just a 'her', no name. His response causes Atsuya to let out an annoyed sigh, roll his eyes.

"You're just trying to play it cool, aren't ya?"

Atsuya looks out to the teams, turning his gaze away from Kirina for a moment. The midfielder tries to follow his gaze, tries to see who he's looking at. He thinks that he's giving Mansaku a glare at first, but finds it going towards someone else. The two girls he'd been looking at earlier, but his gaze seems to be focused on one.

Nae.

Ah.

It all clicks together now.

"You like Nae."

It was uttered as a casual comment, as if pointing out the obvious. It was unexpected to the bear killer of Hakuren, causing an embarrassed look to cross his face before. He tries to hide that behind an angry glare cast at Kirina.

"Don't say stupid shit like that!"

"I was just trying to understand what you meant earlier."

Kirina throws his hands up in defense to protect himself. He nearly expects a kick or something to be thrown at him, but nothing comes. He's relieved when Atsuya backs off slightly, just pouting and crossing his arms, not even bothering to look at anyone, not even him.

At least his wait for Shirou to return wasn't so dull.


	57. Dog Days

title: Dog Days  
characters: ryuuzaki ouji, mikado haruma  
pairing: ryuuzaki/mikado  
summary: Mikado mentions getting a dog, again.

* * *

"We should get a dog."

That line, no, statement had come out of nowhere. It had made Ryuuzaki's head whirl, eyes narrowing at Mikado who was sitting right beside him. He wore a 'are you serious did you really just say that to me' expression. Mikado's face didn't waver, even if he had wanted to laugh at that look.

"Absolutely not."

If Ryuuzaki didn't have to stare at him to actually process the question, to repeat it and confirm what he'd said mentally, his answer would have come out much faster. In a sharp and harsher tone to.

"Why not?"

His question is curious, a tad playful. Mikado is aware of the many reasons why the other wouldn't want a dog, but decides to tease him.

His initial response is to sigh, roll his eyes, cross his arms. Part of him considers staying silent and walking off. Why bark back? Isn't that what he wanted? He hates himself for falling for his trap.

"You know _why_. We don't need a barking mess running around us."

"They're fun. You just have to train them first."

"You're not going to win me over like that."

Ryuuzaki looks to him and expects more. Mikado stares right back, holding back his own bark. He can see in his eyes the thoughts and excuses he would try to use to persuade him into seeing the joys of owning a dog. He swears he's heard every single one by now and if he has, he's sure that Mikado would think of more just for him.

Their stares hold and it's Mikado who breaks it off. He sighs, giving a slight shrug as he decides to concede defeat to this battle.

"I'll get you to see my side eventually."

Ryuuzaki scoffs.

"And when that day comes, we'll get a dog."

The moment that comes out of his mouth, the moment he sees that look in Mikado's eyes, he knows that he's going to regret ever saying that.


	58. Home

title: Home  
characters: Inamori Asuto, Kirina Hiura  
pairing: (slight) kiriasu  
summary: -is where the heart is.

* * *

The ocean was calm tonight, waves simply splashing against the base of the cliff. They moved in a rhythmic way that gave the night a soothing and peaceful atmosphere. The stars and moon were reflected against the water's surface- not a cloud in sight to disrupt their mirrored image.

Kirina tilts his head up, taking his gaze to the sky. It's easy to notice the difference of the sky from their home and from the city. He'd always prefer this sight.

"It's good to be back home, huh?"

"Mhm!" Asuto, sitting beside him, turns his head with a smile. "I like the city, but nothing beats home!"

Asuto's gaze lingers on Kirina before looking back over to the water, then to the sky. One hand reaches up and for a moment it looks like he's trying to grasp a star into his hands.

"Yeah. It's nicer here."

Quiet.

Peaceful.

It was home.

He didn't know how much he missed the sound of the ocean until he had returned home. The bustle of city sounds could never replace it.

Kirina lets out a breath before gazing at Asuto. He looks to him and expects to find a cheerful look. And he does, but it's not the usual cheery expression. It's forced.

"Asuto…?"

"Hm?"

That expression is forced along with some curiosity. It makes Kirina wonder if he's even aware of what he's doing.

"Are you…feeling okay?"

"Of course I am!" He chirps- too loudly. "I mean…"

Asuto pauses and tries not to bite at his lip. His gaze goes down, avoiding those lavender eyes upon him. He's hesitating and knows that his friend has already picked up on the change in his mood. He lets his smile fall for a moment.

"It's been a long time since we've been here. Since I've been home."

Kirina had kept his eyes on Asuto, watching, waiting to see any change. He'd notice the sad light in his eyes, how he looked hurt. He had tried to guess why his mood had gone down and now, it all made sense.

Home was different for Asuto. That wound was still fresh in his heart. In the city, he didn't have to think about it, but returning to the place were the scar was formed…

Silently, he moves a hand over Asuto's. He pushes away the nervous feelings in his chest, there's no time to worry about that. Right now, it's about him- Asuto.

"I know things are different, but…they say home isn't a place, right? It's the people that make it." This sounds so corny and he wishes he would have thought this through before speaking. "And your home is with us. You'll always have someone to come home to. I'll make sure that I'll be that person, to never leave you by yourself, okay?"

 _To be that person you can always come home to._

Asuto was silent, which was strange for him. He'd just been looking to Kirina with wide eyes, blinking. The boy wasn't sure if tears were pricking at his eyes due to the earlier feelings or finding warmth and comfort in what his friend had just told him. Either way, it doesn't stop the smile from forming on his face, a genuine one. One that Kirina knew fairly well.

"Thank you." Asuto moves his hand so that he could hold onto Kirina's. "I'm glad you could be part of my home."


	59. A Morning Brew

title: A Morning Brew  
characters: Kazemaru, Genda  
pairing: genkaze  
summary: It's a little too early for Kazemaru to be dealing with a flirtatious barista. {coffee shop au}

* * *

A cold breeze passes, the chilly air colliding with his body. While the wind wasn't harsh enough to play with his hair, it was cold enough to find ways to sneak past his protection. His jacket can do nothing for his body underneath his layers of clothes, they all seem to have fail him as he ends up shivering. Sneezing. It takes all he has to keep his hands tucked inside his pockets so they wouldn't have to deal with the fresh cool air.

Kazemaru groans, wishing he could be somewhere warm, nice. Somewhere he could relax and unwind. Somewhere he could just close his eyes and get some sleep. Like his bed, for example. He would have given anything to stay there today, but he can't skip class. It's cold mornings like these that make him regret agreeing to taking an 8 a.m. on a Monday (and Wednesday to but Mondays had a more sluggish feeling to them).

He really had considered skipping his class today after his long weekend of running around and helping others. On Saturday he had to haul his best friend's ass out of tire from a party, which had taken longer than he thought. Then he was too worried to leave him alone at said party and was forced to stay. The next day, already low on little sleep, he was dragged out by another friend to help with some film project. That had lasted too long and he couldn't even escape afterwards as he had begged for some help to study for a test. As much as he would have liked to have said no, he hadn't. He should have. Kazemaru wound up staying with him past one in the morning helping him study.

He had gone home, crashed on his bed and was more than happy to let sleep overtake him. But, his blissful sleep had been rudely disturbed by his alarm. There was no time for sleep when class was about to begin in just a couple of hours.

How he managed to get out of bed, dressed, and out of his home, not even he was sure. It was a hazy morning, he thinks he was on auto pilot the whole time in his home. While he wasn't certain of his morning routine, Kazemaru was certain of one thing.

He needed coffee.

And he was thankful that Endou had suggested him a place that was conveniently on the way to their campus- Royal Coffee. He wasn't sure how Endou had found out about this place (usually he was the one to find coffee before anyone else), but he had agreed to trying the place out sometime. His friend had said it was a little pricy, but well worth every penny spent. Endou's words of praise were more generous than the norm, so he would have to see for himself if this coffee shop was as amazing as he claimed.

The man lets out a yawn before trying to stuff his face back underneath his scarf. His eyes glance up, lazily reading the signs, trying to find just one striking word- _coffee_. When his eyes land upon it, he stops, looks at the exterior. It looked normal, but maybe the interior would be more 'royal'?

Kazemaru steps in, body pressing against the door and a little chime goes off to signal a customer. He steps into the small shop, letting out a content sigh as once the door is closed, heat begins to envelop his body. It's nice and cozy, warm. Just at the right temperature so he wouldn't be overheating with what he's wearing.

After taking a quiet moment to himself, he begins to look around and finds only one other customer here. He could only guess another student, one typing away on a last minute assignment and taking too much caffeine to keep them going. He definitely knows what that feels like and Kazemaru mentally wishes him good luck, if that is his case.

While he would like to appreciate this quiet atmosphere and setting of the shop itself, he was just too tired to think greatly of it. Maybe once he was more awake or had a shot of caffeine in his blood to waken his soul, he'd be able to form a proper opinion. Something better than, 'yeah, this is pretty cool'. For now, he just forces his tired body towards the counter. He knows better than to lean against it, but now isn't the time to be worrying about proper manners. It's too early for that.

His eyes find their way to the only worker visible here, one busy cleaning one of the machines on the back counter. He has messy, spiked brown hair, he's tall, a little too muscular for a barista, and wore a serious look on his face. He had yet to notice the staring customer waiting for him. Said customer finds his gaze staying on him for longer than needs to be. A short huff is let out in annoyance at himself, but that also seems to catch the barista's attention.

His head turns, focus now turning to Kazemaru and he's greeted with a, "hey! Sorry, about that," before he walks up to the counter. A warm and pleasant smile replaces his serious look and Kazemaru finds it more inviting than the usual forced ones he's seen at other places.

"Welcome to Royal Coffee. What can I get for a cute guy like yourself?"

"Hm?"

Kazemaru already feels his cheeks heating up, his eyes blinking and he's just staring at him, dumbfounded by that slip of compliment. _Did this really attractive guy just call him cute?_ When he was practically looking like a wrapped up zombie walking into his work place? Oh god, he was probably imagining things. Yes, that's it. He's just very tired and this very handsome barista did _not_ just try to flirt with him.

"I'll, uh, umm…" What was on the menu again? He wants to smack himself for not having looked at it earlier. He really should have instead of looking at the barista. His eyes quickly dart to the menu, trying to find something he could drink, something that would sound decent to. "A power espresso?"

The barista- Kazemaru catches a look at his name tag- Koujirou, gives him a questionable look. As attractive as this guy is, he doesn't like the hesitation he's been given. He just wanted an 'okay' along with the price.

"This is too wake you up, right?" Genda asks and Kazemaru does a slow nod, guessing it was obvious that he looked as dead as he felt. "Mind if I recommend something else?"

Kazemaru shrugs. "If it'll wake me up and get me through a two hour class, then I'm all ears."

"Alright." Genda grins before pointing vaguely behind himself. "We do have our special emperor penguin cappuccino. It's not as strong, but is better to get you started and going for your the rest of your day. If you get it, I'll give you a discount since it's not what you intentionally wanted to order."

He feels like he can't say no now, even if he wanted to. Hearing the word 'discount' really helped sway him and maybe he really was right about having this drink to make him keep going longer than whatever he picked. Normally he'd say no and stick to his own, but maybe this guy is just a little too persuasive (and cute) and maybe he's just a little too tired to fight back.

"Okay, I'll try it."

"Name for the order, handsome?"

His cheeks flush again and he has to resist pulling up his scarf to hid his face. He really must be imagining things this morning. Ah. Wait. He needs to speak and give his name.

"Kazerouta."

His face falls for a moment after realizing what just came out of his mouth. God, how he wishes something would just strike him dead now. He was such an idiot. One who couldn't even get his own name right!

"I-I mean Ichirouta!"

Kazemaru unintentionally shouts his name, wanting to say it before it had been scribbled down on the opaque cup. He was just in time, no thanks to that embarrassing way of doing so.

Genda ends up stifling a laugh and Kazemaru hears him mutter, "cute name," before writing it down. He holds back a whine while really wishing he hadn't made a fool of himself in front of this barista. He regrets coming here. Regrets being awake. Regrets existing.

It's too early to be regretting all of this.

Kazemaru hands him the money after all is said and done and then dashes to a table that he thinks would hide himself from Genda's view. Once seated, he resists banging his head on the table and just buries his head into his hands.

His mind replays everything that happened so far and Kazemaru thinks that he's never going to come back. Or if he does, he's definitely going to be more awake and not be a blushing idiot in front of this Genda guy.

It doesn't take too long before his name is called out at the other end of the counter. Kazemaru forces himself off his seat and over to the pick up location. Genda is there, smiling and waiting. It makes him nervous. He's only able to take one look at that cheery face before having to find something else too look at.

"Enjoy it, Ichirouta."

"Thanks..."

His voice is quiet and Kazemaru quickly snatches his drink and the small bag that was accompanying it. He makes a quick turn and heads back to his table. The thought to just drink and run is tempting but he had made sure that he'd have time to enjoy his drink without having to rush to class. And he didn't want to chance falling asleep in an empty classroom this early.

Kazemaru lets his drink cool for a few moments before finally deciding its time to taste test it. He brings the cup to his mouth, waiting, testing to see if it was just cool enough to go past his lips. The liquid hits them and finding it cool enough, he starts to drink. The warm and smooth drink flows down into his throat, warming the rest of his body. God, he really needed something like this to jolt his body awake.

Setting that down, he finally looks to the bag that he had gotten with it. Curiosity makes him peek inside, opening it to find a warmed up croissant. It's just a plain old croissant but it looks more appetizing than usual. This reminds him how he had forgotten to grab something to eat before leaving his home and that he's hungrier than he thought. After absentmindedly licking his lips, he pulls the pastry out of its bag and bites down onto it. It's soft and melts in his mouth. It's simply perfect and doesn't fight with the flavor of the cappuccino.

Just as he takes another bite of the croissant, a thought crosses his mind. He never ordered one. He didn't even know they were sold here (and pastries had been the last thing on his mind to). And then he begins to panic, thinking he had stolen this overpriced piece of bread. Maybe it was supposed to be for the other customer here? Anyone but him?

The panic rises and he shoots up from his seat, taking his bag with his half eaten croissant to the counter.

"I didn't buy this," he states.

It's now that he's realizing it's a little too late to say anything. It's not like he can return the food he'd eaten half of. Part of it was already gone, lost on its way into his stomach. No way was anyone getting that back.

Genda leans on the counter, propping his elbows on it and letting his head rest against his knuckles. "I know. Consider it on the house. Thought you could use the extra energy."

"But I…I really shouldn't…"

He's unbelievably grateful for his kind offer, but he can't help but feel a sting of guilt for it. He knew that this could get him in trouble and he did not want to be the cause of him being fired. There had to be something he could do, even paying for it would be fine with him at this rate.

"If you want to make up for it," Genda starts, picking himself up and letting his body lean closer towards Kazemaru, a smirk playing onto his lips. "You can always come back tomorrow. Seeing your face is payment enough."

For what feels like the tenth time this morning, Kazemaru's cheeks heat up. He stammers incomprehensible words- just sounds that make it seem like he wants to protest. But, he doesn't say no, he doesn't have the heart to say that to him.

A, "sure…?" manages to squeak out of him and that makes Genda smile brighten up.

"Cool! I usually do the opening shift, so I hope I'll see you in the morning. Same time and place." He lets out a quick laugh and a playful wink before pushing himself off the counter. Genda turns to find something else to clean, now in a more cheery mood than he'd been when he first came into the store.

"Ah…"

Kazemaru forces himself back to his seat. He goes back to eating his free croissant and discounted oddly named cappuccino. All while wondering if he just made a _date_ with a barista.


End file.
